Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

गमनेऽधो वराहस्य गतिर्भवति निश्चला । धृतं वाराहरूपं हि विष्णुना वनचारिणा

Transliteration

gamane'dho varāhasya gatirbhavati niścalā | dhṛtaṃ vārāharūpaṃ hi viṣṇunā vanacāriṇā

Translation

Als der Varāha hinabstieg, wurde sein Weg fest und unbeirrbar. Wahrlich, Viṣṇu—der im Wald wandelnde Herr—hatte für diesen Abstieg die Gestalt des Ebers (Varāha) angenommen.

Word by Word

• गमने: in the going/movement
• गमने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अधः: downwards/below
• अधः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• वराहस्य: of the boar
• वराहस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• गतिः: movement/pace
• गतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवति: becomes/is
• भवति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निश्चला: steady/immovable
• निश्चला: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गतिः इति विशेष्य)

• धृतम्: was assumed/held
• धृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग-सूचक

• वाराह-रूपम्: the boar-form
• वाराह-रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराह (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (वाराहं रूपम्)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/कर्ता-हेतु), एकवचन

• वन-चारिणा: by the forest-roaming one
• वन-चारिणा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (वने चरति इति); विशेषणम् (विष्णुना)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Varāha-avatāra descent into the nether regions (cosmic stabilization motif)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Varaha

FAQs

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

The verse highlights steadfast divine resolve in restoring cosmic order: when the Lord takes a saguna form for the world’s welfare, the movement toward the goal becomes niścalā (unshakable). In a Shaiva Siddhanta reading, such acts unfold under the higher sovereignty of Pati (Śiva), who enables order in creation.

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

By emphasizing an assumed form (vārāharūpa), the verse supports the Purāṇic principle that devotees may approach the Supreme through saguna manifestations; similarly, the Śiva-liṅga is a sanctified focus where the formless is worshipped through a form, leading the mind from symbol to Reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is niścalatā—steadiness: practice japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with unwavering attention, optionally while applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of detachment and the stabilizing grace of Śiva.