Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

विराड्रूपमिदं ह्यंडं चतुर्विंशतिसंज्ञकम् । न चैतन्यं भवत्यादौ जडीभूतं प्रदृश्यते

Transliteration

virāḍrūpamidaṃ hyaṃḍaṃ caturviṃśatisaṃjñakam | na caitanyaṃ bhavatyādau jaḍībhūtaṃ pradṛśyate

Translation

Dieses kosmische Ei, dessen Gestalt die des Virāṭ ist, wird als das „Vierundzwanzigfache Prinzip“ bezeichnet. Zu Beginn besitzt es kein Bewusstsein; es erscheint träge, zu bloßer Materie geworden.

Word by Word

• विराड्रूपम्: having the form of Virāṭ (cosmic form)
• विराड्रूपम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विराड्रूप (प्रातिपदिक: विराट् + रूप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; अवधान/हेतुबोधक (emphatic/causal particle)

• अण्डम्: egg (cosmic egg)
• अण्डम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• चतुर्विंशतिसंज्ञकम्: designated as 'twenty-four'
• चतुर्विंशतिसंज्ञकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्विंशतिसंज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक: चतुर्विंशति + संज्ञक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• चैतन्यम्: consciousness/sentience
• चैतन्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैतन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• भवति: is/comes to be
• भवति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• आदौ: at first/in the beginning
• आदौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदौ (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'in the beginning')

• जडीभूतम्: become inert/insentient
• जडीभूतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जडीभूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: जड + भू < √भू)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• प्रदृश्यते: is seen/appears
• प्रदृश्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि-प्रायः: 'is seen/appears'

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: sarga (initial manifestation of the brahmāṇḍa as jaḍa-prakṛti)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It distinguishes insentient creation (the twenty-four tattvas) from true Consciousness, implying that the cosmos, by itself, is inert and requires Shiva’s grace/presence for illumination and liberation.

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

The Linga signifies Shiva as the conscious Pati beyond inert principles; worship of Saguna Shiva/Linga is a means to recognize the difference between jaḍa (matter) and caitanya (Shiva’s consciousness) and to turn the mind from mere cosmic form (Virāṭ) to its conscious source.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate ‘jaḍa vs. caitanya’ while doing japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), mentally offering the inert tattvas into Shiva (Linga) as a practice of inner surrender and discernment.