Shloka 41

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

तं चासाधकमाज्ञाय पुनश्चिंतयतश्च मे । अभवत्सात्त्विकस्सर्ग ऊर्ध्वस्रोता इति द्रुतम्

Transliteration

taṃ cāsādhakamājñāya punaściṃtayataśca me | abhavatsāttvikassarga ūrdhvasrotā iti drutam

Translation

Knowing him to be unfit for accomplishment, and as I reflected again, there swiftly arose the sāttvika creation, called the ‘upward-flowing’ (ūrdhva-srotas).

Word by Word

• तम्: that (it)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• असाधकम्: ineffective
• असाधकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असाधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ineffective/unsuccessful’

• आज्ञाय: having realized
• आज्ञाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ज्ञा (धातु) → आज्ञाय (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having known/realized’

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (again)

• चिन्तयतः: of (me) thinking
• चिन्तयतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु) → चिन्तयत् (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of (me) thinking’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• मे: my / of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; enclitic

• अभवत्: became / arose
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सात्त्विकः: sāttvika (pure)
• सात्त्विकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सात्त्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्गः: creation
• सर्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ऊर्ध्वस्रोता: with an upward current (ūrdhva-srotas)
• ऊर्ध्वस्रोता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व + स्रोतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘ऊर्ध्वं स्रोतः यस्य/यः’)—‘with upward flow’

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक (quotative)

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुतम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; क्रियाविशेषण (quickly)

Speaker

Brahmā (narrating the process of creation within the Sṛṣṭi Khaṇḍa, as relayed in the Purāṇic dialogue)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Vāmadeva

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It distinguishes a higher, sāttvika mode of manifestation—‘upward-flowing’—indicating a creation oriented toward purity, knowledge, and liberation rather than outward entanglement.

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

The upward-flowing tendency reflects the inner turn toward Shiva as Pati (the Lord) through sāttvika living and devotion; such purity supports Saguna Shiva-upāsanā and steadies the mind for Linga-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate sāttvika discipline—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), clean conduct, and steady contemplation—so the ‘current’ of awareness moves upward toward Shiva rather than outward into distraction.