Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 18
हिरण्यकशिपोः क्रोधः तथा देवप्रजाकदनम् — Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Wrath and the Affliction of Devas and Beings
सनत्कुमार उवाच । तस्यैतदीदृग्वचनं निशम्य दैत्येन्द्र तुष्टोऽस्मि लभस्व सर्वम् । प्रणम्य विष्णुं मनसा तमाह दयान्वितोऽसाविति पद्मयोनिः
sanatkumāra uvāca | tasyaitadīdṛgvacanaṃ niśamya daityendra tuṣṭo'smi labhasva sarvam | praṇamya viṣṇuṃ manasā tamāha dayānvito'sāviti padmayoniḥ
Sanatkumāra sprach: Als er jene Worte in solcher Weise vernommen hatte, war der Herr der Daityas erfreut: „Ich bin zufrieden—empfange alles.“ Daraufhin sprach Padmayoni (Brahmā), der in seinem Geist vor Viṣṇu niedergebeugt hatte, zu ihm, da er ihn als voller Erbarmen erkannte.
Sanatkumara
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; the key motif is Brahmā’s inward deference to Viṣṇu while granting boons—triadic governance within Purāṇic theism.
Significance: Highlights compassion as a divine quality and the layered hierarchy of refuge: even Brahmā acts with inward orientation to the Supreme; in Siddhānta terms, anugraha ultimately belongs to Śiva though mediated through cosmic offices.
Role: nurturing
Cosmic Event: Boon is granted (‘labhasva sarvam’)—a turning point that sets karmic/cosmic consequences in motion.
FAQs
The verse highlights the power of truthful, well-formed speech to soften hostility and awaken satisfaction, and it also models inner humility—Brahmā mentally bows to Viṣṇu—showing that reverence and compassion are essential virtues even among the highest beings.
Though the verse names Viṣṇu and Brahmā, the Shiva Purana’s Shaiva lens uses such episodes to teach that divine powers operate harmoniously under the Lord’s supreme order; the devotee of Saguna Shiva learns humility, devotion, and compassion as integral parts of Shiva-bhakti, which culminates in grace (anugraha).
The verse directly suggests mānasa-praṇāma—inner prostration—as a meditative discipline; paired with Shaiva practice, this can be done before japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) or while applying Tripuṇḍra, cultivating humility and compassion.