Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 11

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

कुत एवात्र संभूतः परीक्षावोऽग्निसंभवम् । अधोगमिष्याम्यनलस्तंभस्यानुपमस्य च

Transliteration

kuta evātra saṃbhūtaḥ parīkṣāvo'gnisaṃbhavam | adhogamiṣyāmyanalastaṃbhasyānupamasya ca

Translation

«D’où donc est née ici cette épreuve issue du mystère du feu ? Je descendrai afin d’examiner l’incomparable pilier de flamme.»

Word by Word

• kutaḥ: from where / how
• kutaḥ: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutaḥ (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb): ‘whence?/how?’

• eva: indeed / just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) अवधान/निश्चयार्थक

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• saṃbhūtaḥ: arisen / originated
• saṃbhūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + √bhū (भू धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘arisen/produced’

• parīkṣā: the test / examination
• parīkṣā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parīkṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘examination/test’

• u: indeed / then (particle)
• u: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: u (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), प्रश्न/अनुनय/उत्कर्षार्थक (emphatic/interrogative nuance)

• agni-saṃbhavam: born of fire / fire-originated
• agni-saṃbhavam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘of fire’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• adhaḥ: downwards
• adhaḥ: Gati (गति/Direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘downwards’

• gamiṣyāmi: I shall go
• gamiṣyāmi: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• anala-stambhasya: of the pillar of fire
• anala-stambhasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anala (प्रातिपदिक) + stambha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध: ‘fire-pillar’); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• anupamasya: of the incomparable
• anupamasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anupama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying stambha)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Vishnu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This is the liṅga-stambha (pillar of fire) test: Viṣṇu resolves to descend to find the base, while Brahmā ascends to find the top—both fail, establishing Śiva’s ananta-svarūpa and the futility of egoic measurement.

Significance: The liṅga-stambha episode is paradigmatic for liṅga-darśana: surrender replaces rivalry; humility becomes the gateway to Śiva’s anugraha.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: theophany of an infinite fiery pillar (jyoti-stambha)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the soul’s (and even the gods’) limitation before Shiva’s infinite reality: the “pillar of fire” symbolizes the boundless Supreme (Pati) that cannot be measured by ordinary power, urging humility and surrender.

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

The fiery pillar is the archetype of the Jyotirlinga—Shiva revealing Himself as infinite Light. Linga-worship trains the devotee to approach Shiva beyond form (Nirguṇa) while still receiving grace through a sacred form (Saguṇa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate the Jyotirlinga as endless light while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating humility (vinaya) and devotion (bhakti) rather than trying to “measure” the Divine by egoic effort.