Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10

विष्णुचेष्टितवर्णनम् / Account of Viṣṇu’s Stratagem and Its Aftermath

Devanagari script

वृन्दालावण्यसंभ्रांतो विष्णुस्तिष्ठति मोहितः । तच्चिताभस्म संधारी तव मायाविमोहितः

Transliteration

vṛndālāvaṇyasaṃbhrāṃto viṣṇustiṣṭhati mohitaḥ | taccitābhasma saṃdhārī tava māyāvimohitaḥ

Translation

Ébloui par la beauté enchanteresse de Vṛndā, Viṣṇu demeure là, égaré. Portant les cendres de ce bûcher funéraire, il est entièrement troublé par Ta māyā, ô Śiva.

Word by Word

• vṛndā-lāvaṇya-saṃbhrāntaḥ: overwhelmed by Vṛndā’s beauty
• vṛndā-lāvaṇya-saṃbhrāntaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛndā (प्रातिपदिक) + lāvaṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhrānta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: “(by/with) Vṛndā’s beauty” + saṃbhrāntaḥ (confused/overwhelmed)

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tiṣṭhati: stands, remains
• tiṣṭhati: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• mohitaḥ: deluded
• mohitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muh (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta PPP (क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with viṣṇuḥ

• tat: that
• tat: Sambandha (Reference/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun/सर्वनाम), Napuṃsakaliṅga (Neuter/नपुंसक), Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; here as demonstrative in compound with citā

• citā-bhasma-saṃdhārī: bearing the pyre-ashes
• citā-bhasma-saṃdhārī: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhasma (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃ-dhṛ (धातु) + ṇin (णिन्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; upapada-tatpuruṣa: “one who bears/holds (saṃdhārī) the ashes (bhasma) of the pyre (citā)”

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana

• māyā-vimohitaḥ: deluded by (your) māyā
• māyā-vimohitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + vi-muh (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: “deluded by māyā”; genitive relation with tava = “by your māyā”

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Yuddhakhaṇḍa episode to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vṛndā
• Shiva
• Māyā
• Bhasma

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) whose māyā can veil even exalted beings; it teaches humility and discernment, showing that fascination with mere beauty can obscure dharma and higher truth.

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

By stressing Śiva’s sovereign māyā and the purifying emblem of bhasma, the verse supports Saguna Śiva worship—approaching Śiva through tangible sacred signs (like the Liṅga and vibhūti) to overcome delusion and return to right awareness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to the Shaiva discipline of wearing bhasma (Tripuṇḍra/vibhūti) with remembrance of Śiva—paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") to counter māyā and steady the mind.