Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28

वराङ्ग्याः सुतजन्म-उत्पातवर्णनम् | Birth of Varāṅgī’s Son and the Description of Portents

Utpātas

Devanagari script

एवं कष्टतरं तेपे सुतपस्स तु दैत्यराट् । काममुद्दिश्य विधिवच्छृण्वतामपि दुस्सहम्

Transliteration

evaṃ kaṣṭataraṃ tepe sutapassa tu daityarāṭ | kāmamuddiśya vidhivacchṛṇvatāmapi dussaham

Translation

So vollzog der König der Daityas eine überaus schwere Sutapas, unternommen um Kāma (den Herrn der Begierde) willen. Die Buße wurde nach vorgeschriebener Ordnung ausgeführt, doch war sie selbst für jene unerträglich, die nur davon hörten.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• कष्टतरम्: more difficult, harsher
• कष्टतरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + तरप् (तुलनात्मक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तपः/तपस् कर्म)

• तेपे: performed austerity
• तेपे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• सुतपाः: Sutapā (proper name)
• सुतपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सु’ उपसर्गार्थक-विशेषणपूर्वक नाम

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Avadharana (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• दैत्यराट्: the demon-king
• दैत्यराट्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य + राट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘दैत्यानां राट्’ = king of demons)

• कामम्: desire; Kāma
• कामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उद्दिश्य: aiming at, intending
• उद्दिश्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्-दिश् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप् (gerund), ‘having aimed at/with reference to’

• विधिवत्: properly, as prescribed
• विधिवत्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि + वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: तद्धितान्त-अव्यय (adverb), ‘according to rule’

• शृण्वताम्: of the listeners
• शृण्वताम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘of those who are listening’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Avadharana (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘even/also’

• दुस्सहम्: hard to endure
• दुस्सहम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + सह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (कष्टतरम्/तपः)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Kama

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse highlights that tapas can be outwardly perfect and extremely intense, yet if it is driven by kāma (self-serving desire) it remains within bondage (pāśa). In a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, liberation arises when discipline is aligned to Pati (Śiva) rather than to desire.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

It implicitly contrasts goal-oriented austerity aimed at worldly powers with devotional worship directed to Śiva as the supreme Lord. Linga/Saguna-Śiva worship purifies intention and turns effort into bhakti, whereas desire-centered practice tends toward further entanglement.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to redirect intensity into Śiva-upāsanā: disciplined vrata with japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and inner restraint, so that tapas becomes purification rather than fuel for desire.