Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 31

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

अस्यानन्दवनं नाम पुराकारि पिनाकिना । क्षेत्रस्यानंदहेतुत्वादविमुक्तमनंतरम्

Transliteration

asyānandavanaṃ nāma purākāri pinākinā | kṣetrasyānaṃdahetutvādavimuktamanaṃtaram

Translation

Dieser heilige Hain wurde einst von Pinākī (Śiva, dem Träger des Bogens Pināka) geschaffen; darum heißt er Ānandavana. Und weil dieses heilige Feld zur Ursache geistiger Wonne wird, wird es seit anfangsloser Zeit auch Avimukta genannt — „von Śiva niemals verlassen“.

Word by Word

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘of this’

• आनन्द-वनम्: the grove of bliss (Ānandavana)
• आनन्द-वनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘आनन्दस्य वनम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• नाम: named/called
• नाम: Predicate-marker (नामार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/‘called’)

• पुरा-कारि: the one who acted in former times
• पुरा-कारि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘पुरा कारि’ = ‘formerly did/made’; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय

• पिनाकिना: by Pinākin (Śiva)
• पिनाकिना: Karana/Karta (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; ‘by Pinākin (Śiva, bearer of Pināka)’

• क्षेत्रस्य: of the kṣetra
• क्षेत्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; ‘of the sacred place’

• आनन्द-हेतुत्वात्: because it is the cause of bliss
• आनन्द-हेतुत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; ‘आनन्दस्य हेतुः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + तद्धित ‘त्व’ (abstract noun), ‘because of being the cause of bliss’

• अविमुक्तम्: (it is) Avimukta / not abandoned
• अविमुक्तम्: Karta-predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (नञ्) + वि√मुच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक PPP

• अनन्तरम्: immediate/without interval
• अनन्तरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण, ‘immediately/without interval’ (also adverbial sense)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Pinākin

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Śiva (Pinākī) is said to have fashioned the grove called Ānandavana; because it causes ānanda and is never abandoned, it is also known as Avimukta—establishing Kāśī’s sanctity as divinely founded.

Significance: Pilgrimage to Ānandavana/Avimukta is praised for producing spiritual bliss and culminating in liberation through Śiva’s abiding presence.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares the kṣetra as Ānandavana because it generates ānanda (spiritual bliss) and as Avimukta because Śiva never abandons it—signifying a place where liberation-oriented grace and remembrance of Śiva are especially accessible.

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

By naming the kṣetra through Śiva’s act and presence, the verse supports Saguna Śiva worship: devotees approach Śiva as personally present in a holy field, commonly honored through Liṅga-pūjā, mantra, and pilgrimage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Pilgrimage with steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and focused Liṅga-darśana/arcana is implied as a direct way to align with the kṣetra’s ānanda-producing power and Śiva’s unforsaking presence.