Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

तदिच्छा वा यदा जाता ताभ्यां रूपं हि धारणे । तद्दिनं प्रतिकल्पोऽसौ कल्पो वाराहसंज्ञक्

Transliteration

tadicchā vā yadā jātā tābhyāṃ rūpaṃ hi dhāraṇe | taddinaṃ pratikalpo'sau kalpo vārāhasaṃjñak

Translation

Als jener Wille aufstieg, nahmen die beiden, um die Schöpfung zu tragen, eine Gestalt an. Eben dieser Tag wurde zu einem Pratikalpa (Neben-Äon), bekannt als „Varāha-Kalpa“.

Word by Word

• तत्-इच्छा: that wish
• तत्-इच्छा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सा एव इच्छा)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (when)

• जाता: arose
• जाता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘arisen/occurred’

• ताभ्याम्: by those two
• ताभ्याम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

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

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (indeed)

• धारणे: in the act of assuming
• धारणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in/for the act of assuming’

• तत्-दिनम्: that day
• तत्-दिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रति-कल्पः: a counter/secondary kalpa (pratikalpa)
• प्रति-कल्पः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (प्रति इति अव्ययपूर्वकः)

• असौ: that
• असौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कल्पः: kalpa
• कल्पः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वाराह-संज्ञक्: named ‘Vārāha’
• वाराह-संज्ञक्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाराह (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पदान्त-हलन्त-रूप (संज्ञक्) छन्दो/पाठभेद; तत्पुरुषः (वाराह इति संज्ञा यस्य)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Pratikalpa designation tied to the arising of ‘that will’ and assumption of sustaining form

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It frames creation as arising from divine will (icchā) and being upheld through manifested forms, pointing to the Shaiva view that the Supreme (Pati) freely projects and sustains the cosmos as a purposeful order rather than a random event.

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

By emphasizing ‘assuming form for sustaining,’ it supports Saguna worship: devotees approach the formless Absolute through accessible divine manifestations—such as the Śiva-liṅga—while recognizing the transcendent source beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna on Śiva as the sustainer of time-cycles (kalpas), paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating steadiness (dhāraṇā) and reverence for cosmic order.