Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 22
सृष्टिक्रमवर्णनम् / Description of the Sequence of Creation
सन्नतिश्चानुरूपा च ऊर्जा स्वाहा स्वधा तथा । भृगुर्भवो मरीचिश्च तथा चैवांगिरा मुनिः
sannatiścānurūpā ca ūrjā svāhā svadhā tathā | bhṛgurbhavo marīciśca tathā caivāṃgirā muniḥ
S’y ajoutèrent Sannati et Anurūpā ; de même Ūrjā, Svāhā et Svadhā. (Il y eut) Bhṛgu, Bhava, Marīci, et aussi le sage Aṅgiras.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā account to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pasha
Mantra: svāhā / svadhā (as ritual utterances, here personified)
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
Offering: dhupa
Cosmic Event: institutionalization of yajña and pitṛ-yajña principles within creation narrative
FAQs
The verse lists sages and sacred personifications (Svāhā, Svadhā, Ūrjā) to show that cosmic order—including worship, nourishment, and ancestral rites—arises within creation under Shiva’s supreme lordship (Pati), enabling beings (paśu) to progress toward purification and liberation.
By naming Svāhā and Svadhā, the text links creation to ritual action (yajña and pitṛ-kriyā). In Shaiva practice these acts are ultimately offered to Saguna Shiva—often centered on the Śiva-liṅga—so ritual becomes a means of devotion and inner purification rather than mere external performance.
It suggests sanctifying Vedic offerings (svāhā in fire rites) and remembrance of ancestors (svadhā) while keeping Shiva as the inner recipient; a practical takeaway is to pair daily worship of the Śiva-liṅga with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to align action with devotion.