Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28
अन्धक-प्रश्नः — Inquiry into Andhaka
Genealogy and Nature
कालेऽथ तस्मिञ्शिशिरे प्रयातो हिरण्यनेत्रस्त्वथ पुत्रकामः । स्वज्येष्ठबंधोस्तनयप्रतानं संवीक्ष्य चासीत्प्रियया नियुक्तः
kāle'tha tasmiñśiśire prayāto hiraṇyanetrastvatha putrakāmaḥ | svajyeṣṭhabaṃdhostanayapratānaṃ saṃvīkṣya cāsītpriyayā niyuktaḥ
Puis, en cette saison d’hiver, Hiraṇyanetra se mit en route, désirant un fils. Voyant la lignée florissante des enfants de son frère aîné, il fut pressé par son épouse bien-aimée (d’obtenir une descendance).
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
It shows how worldly aims (like progeny) arise from comparison and family circumstance, and how a householder is directed toward right action; in Shaiva thought, such aims are fulfilled best when aligned with dharma and sought with Shiva’s grace rather than mere craving.
The verse sets the motive (putrakāma) that typically leads a devotee to undertake Shiva-oriented vows, worship, or pilgrimages; Saguna Shiva as the compassionate Lord is approached for orderly family life, while remembering that ultimate fulfillment culminates in devotion and liberation.
A traditional takeaway is putrakāma-oriented Shiva worship: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” Linga-abhisheka with purity and restraint, and observing vrata on Mondays or Mahāśivarātri while maintaining dharmic conduct.