Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23
व्योमवाणी-श्रवणं, गणानां शरणागमनं, सती-दाह-वृत्तान्तः — Hearing the Heavenly Voice; The Gaṇas Seek Refuge; Account of Satī’s Self-Immolation
स भूमिं विश्वतो वृत्त्वात्यतिष्ठद्दशांगुलम् । प्रलयानलसंकाशः प्रोन्नतो दोस्सहस्रवान्
sa bhūmiṃ viśvato vṛttvātyatiṣṭhaddaśāṃgulam | pralayānalasaṃkāśaḥ pronnato dossahasravān
Die Erde von allen Seiten umspannend, stand Er zehn Fingerbreiten über ihr erhoben—hoch aufragend, lodernd wie das Feuer des Pralaya—und trug tausend Arme, denen niemand standhalten konnte.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra
Role: destructive
Cosmic Event: pralaya-fire simile (pralayānala-saṃkāśa)
FAQs
The verse portrays Shiva’s overwhelming, all-encompassing sovereignty—His Saguna manifestation that subdues cosmic disorder and reveals His role as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who transcends and contains the world.
By describing Shiva’s vast, fiery, many-armed form, the text supports Saguna upāsanā—devotion to a perceivable form—while implying that such forms point to the same Supreme reality worshipped in the Linga as the all-pervading Lord.
Contemplate Shiva as the all-encompassing Protector while repeating the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and reinforce steadiness with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of pralaya and detachment.