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Shloka 62

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

महादेव उवाच । जन्ममृत्युभयाविष्टा नाहं स्रक्ष्ये प्रजा विधे । अशोभनाः कर्मवशा विमग्ना दुःखवारिधौ

mahādeva uvāca | janmamṛtyubhayāviṣṭā nāhaṃ srakṣye prajā vidhe | aśobhanāḥ karmavaśā vimagnā duḥkhavāridhau

Mahādeva said: “O Vidhi (Brahmā), I will not create progeny that is seized by the fear of birth and death—inauspicious in disposition, helplessly driven by karma, and sunk in the ocean of sorrow.”

mahādevaḥMahādeva
mahādevaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootmahā + deva (महा + देव प्रातिपदिक)
FormKarmadhāraya (कर्मधारय); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (वच् वक्तव्ये धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
janma-mṛtyu-bhaya-āviṣṭāḥafflicted by fear of birth and death
janma-mṛtyu-bhaya-āviṣṭāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootjanman + mṛtyu + bhaya + āviṣṭa (जन्मन् + मृत्यु + भय + आ-विश् क्त)
FormTatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘afflicted by fear of birth and death’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन) qualifying prajāḥ
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध), indeclinable (अव्यय)
ahamI
aham:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
srakṣyeI will create
srakṣye:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Root√sṛj (सृज् सृष्टौ धातु)
FormSimple future (लृट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद); form with kṣya-future (क्ष्य-आगम)
prajāḥcreatures
prajāḥ:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Rootprajā (प्रजा प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
vidheO Vidhā (creator/Brahmā)
vidhe:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
TypeNoun
Rootvidhātr̥/vidhi (विधि/विधातृ प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)
aśobhanāḥinauspicious, unseemly
aśobhanāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota-śobhana (अशोभन प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन) qualifying prajāḥ
karma-vaśāḥcontrolled by karma
karma-vaśāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkarma + vaśa (कर्म + वश प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘under the control of karma’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन) qualifying prajāḥ
vimagnāḥsunk, immersed
vimagnāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvi-√maj (मज्ज् निमज्जने धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन) qualifying prajāḥ
duḥkha-vāridhauin the ocean of suffering
duḥkha-vāridhau:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
TypeNoun
Rootduḥkha + vāridhi (दुःख + वारिधि प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘in the ocean of sorrow’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

Lord Shiva (Mahadeva)

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Cosmic Event: ethical-theological pause in sṛṣṭi: refusal to generate beings destined for karmic suffering

S
Shiva
B
Brahma

FAQs

The verse highlights saṁsāra as a state of fear and sorrow caused by karma (pāśa). From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, beings bound by karma cannot attain lasting good until grace and right orientation toward Pati (Śiva) arise; hence Śiva refuses to further multiply suffering-bound existence.

It frames Saguna Śiva (Mahādeva) as the compassionate Lord who intervenes in creation so that beings are not merely produced for bondage. Linga-worship centers on approaching Śiva as Pati, seeking purification of karma and release from the fear of birth and death.

The implied takeaway is to pursue practices that loosen karma’s control—regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), Linga-pūjā with bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and devotion, and meditative remembrance of Śiva as the liberator from janma-mṛtyu.