Shloka 4

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

तमाविश्य महादेवो भगवान्नीललोहितः / करोति लोकसंहारं भीषणं रूपमाश्रितः

Transliteration

tamāviśya mahādevo bhagavānnīlalohitaḥ / karoti lokasaṃhāraṃ bhīṣaṇaṃ rūpamāśritaḥ

Translation

Indem er in jenes Prinzip und jene Zeit der Auflösung eingeht, nimmt Mahādeva—der Erhabene Nīlalohita—eine furchterregende Gestalt an und bewirkt die Zerstörung (das Zurückziehen) der Welten.

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आविश्य: having entered
• आविश्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाले; उपसर्गः आ-

• महादेवः: Mahadeva
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नीललोहितः: the blue-and-red one (epithet)
• नीललोहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील-लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (नीलश्च लोहितश्च)

• करोति: does/makes
• करोति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• लोकसंहारम्: destruction of the worlds
• लोकसंहारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक-संहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकानां संहारः)

• भीषणम्: terrible
• भीषणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (रूपम्)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रितः: having assumed/resorted to
• आश्रितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे 'आश्रितः' = 'having resorted to'

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing Rudra’s role in saṃhāra)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva
• Shiva
• Rudra
• Nilalohita

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It presents saṃhāra as a deliberate, divine function: the Lord assumes a form to withdraw the cosmos, implying a transcendent controller beyond changing forms—Atman/Iśvara remains while manifestations arise and dissolve.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

While not prescribing a technique, the verse supports a Yogic contemplation central to Purāṇic Yoga: meditating on Iśvara as the power behind dissolution (saṃhāra) cultivates vairāgya (dispassion) and steadiness, aligning with Pāśupata-style focus on Rudra as the supreme governor of cosmic processes.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By emphasizing Rudra’s cosmic function within the Purāṇic order, it harmonizes with the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology: the one supreme reality operates through distinct divine names and forms (here, Śiva as Nīlalohita) to accomplish universal governance.