Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

मया च विष्णुना रूपं हंसवाराहयोस्तदा । संवृतं तु ततस्ताभ्यां लोकसर्गावनेच्छया

Transliteration

mayā ca viṣṇunā rūpaṃ haṃsavārāhayostadā | saṃvṛtaṃ tu tatastābhyāṃ lokasargāvanecchayā

Translation

Dann, im Wunsch, die Welten zu erschaffen und zu bewahren, nahmen Viṣṇu und ich die Gestalten von Haṃsa (dem Schwan) und Varāha (dem Eber) an und verkörperten uns in diesen Erscheinungsformen.

Word by Word

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• viṣṇunā: by Viṣṇu
• viṣṇunā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• haṃsavārāhayoḥ: of the swan and the boar
• haṃsavārāhayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa + vārāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva-samāsa (द्वन्द्व), Dual sense; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• saṃvṛtam: was assumed/was covered (taken on)
• saṃvṛtam: Karma (कर्म/Object as described)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ√vṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative Singular (प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन); agrees with rūpam

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) indicating contrast/emphasis

• tataḥ: thereafter/from that
• tataḥ: Apadana (अपादान/source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय)

• tābhyām: by those two
• tābhyām: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• lokasargāvanecchayā: by the desire to protect the creation of the worlds
• lokasargāvanecchayā: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka + sarga + avana + icchā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): loka-sarga-avana-icchā = ‘desire for protection (avana) of world-creation (loka-sarga)’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Rudra) (as narrator within Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmogonic transition to loka-sarga (world-creation) and avana (maintenance)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Hamsa
• Varaha

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Supreme Lord (Pati) can freely assume saguna forms out of compassion to regulate creation and protection; forms are instruments of divine will, while Shiva’s transcendence remains untouched.

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

Just as Shiva can manifest as specific avatāra-like forms for cosmic functions, the Linga is a sacred, accessible saguna focus through which devotees worship the transcendent Lord who is ultimately beyond all limiting appearances.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as both beyond form and graciously manifesting for loka-kalyāṇa; japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) remembrance aligns the mind to that divine will.