Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 61
हिरण्यनेत्रस्य तपः — Hiraṇyanetra’s Austerity and the Boon
सनत्कुमार उवाच । गंभीरमेतद्वचनं निशम्य ते दानवास्तं प्रणिपत्य मूर्ध्ना । जग्मुस्ततो दैत्यवरस्य सूनुं त्रैलोक्यनाशाय कृतप्रतिज्ञम्
sanatkumāra uvāca | gaṃbhīrametadvacanaṃ niśamya te dānavāstaṃ praṇipatya mūrdhnā | jagmustato daityavarasya sūnuṃ trailokyanāśāya kṛtapratijñam
Sanatkumāra said: Hearing those grave words, the Dānavas bowed down, touching their heads in reverence. Then they went to the son of the foremost Daitya, who had vowed to bring about the destruction of the three worlds.
Sanatkumara
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
The verse contrasts two inner orientations: humility (bowing) and destructive resolve (a vow to ruin the three worlds). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, actions rooted in ego and violence tighten pāśa (bondage), whereas alignment with dharma and reverence supports the soul’s movement toward Shiva (Pati) and liberation.
Though the Linga is not named here, the Yuddhakhaṇḍa framework assumes Shiva as the supreme regulator of cosmic order. Worship of Saguna Shiva (often through the Linga) is presented throughout the Purana as the remedy to asuric tendencies—transforming willfulness into surrender and restoring harmony in trailokya.
The practical takeaway is to cultivate praṇipāta (humble surrender) through daily Shiva-upāsanā—japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and, where traditional, wearing Rudrākṣa and applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) to steady the mind away from destructive vows and toward devotion.