Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 8

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

हंसवाराहयो रूपं युवाभ्यां च धृतं कथम् । अन्यद्रूपं विहायैव किमत्र वद कारणम्

Transliteration

haṃsavārāhayo rūpaṃ yuvābhyāṃ ca dhṛtaṃ katham | anyadrūpaṃ vihāyaiva kimatra vada kāraṇam

Translation

Wie kommt es, dass ihr beide die Gestalten von Haṃsa (Schwan) und Varāha (Eber) angenommen habt? Lasst eure anderen Formen beiseite und sagt mir—was ist hier der Grund?

Word by Word

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

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

• yuvābhyām: by you two
• yuvābhyām: Karana (करण/Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

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

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

• katham: how?
• katham: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक अव्यय)

• anyat: other
• anyat: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies rūpam

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

• vihāya: having abandoned
• vihāya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√hā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/अव्ययकृदन्त)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारणार्थक निपात)

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म/Object of vada)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative Singular (प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन)

• atra: here/in this matter
• atra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• vada: tell/say
• vada: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• kāraṇam: reason/cause
• kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that even the highest cosmic powers adopt specific forms for a particular divine purpose—implying that all forms are instruments within Śiva’s supreme order, and that true knowledge requires asking for the cause behind appearances.

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

By questioning why exalted deities take limited forms, the narrative prepares the listener for the recognition that the Supreme (Śiva) can be approached through saguna manifestations (such as the Linga) while remaining beyond all forms in His nirguna reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is inquiry joined with devotion: contemplate the purpose (kāraṇa) behind divine forms while repeating the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” training the mind to see form as a doorway to the Formless Lord.