Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 35

हिरण्यनेत्रस्य तपः — Hiraṇyanetra’s Austerity and the Boon

Devanagari script

स्वर्णोपमां तत्र निरीक्ष्य शोभां बभ्राम सैन्यैस्सह मानमत्तः । क्रीडार्थमासाद्य च तं गिरीन्द्रं मतिं स वासाय चकार मोहात्

Transliteration

svarṇopamāṃ tatra nirīkṣya śobhāṃ babhrāma sainyaissaha mānamattaḥ | krīḍārthamāsādya ca taṃ girīndraṃ matiṃ sa vāsāya cakāra mohāt

Translation

Là, voyant une splendeur pareille à l’or et ivre d’orgueil, il erra avec son armée. Parvenu à ce roi des montagnes pour simple divertissement, l’esprit obscurci, il résolut d’en faire sa demeure.

Word by Word

• स्वर्ण-उपमाम्: gold-like (one)/golden-like
• स्वर्ण-उपमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarṇa (स्वर्ण प्रातिपदिक) + upamā (उपमा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमा-तत्पुरुष: स्वर्णस्य उपमा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म—‘a golden-like (splendour)’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• निरीक्ष्य: having observed
• निरीक्ष्य: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-īkṣ (निरीक्ष् धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: कृदन्त (Kridanta), ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); ‘having looked at/observed’

• शोभाम्: splendour
• शोभाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śobhā (शोभा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म—‘beauty/splendour’

• बभ्राम: wandered
• बभ्राम: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhram (भ्रम् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘wandered/roamed’

• सैन्यैः: with the army/troops
• सैन्यैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sainya (सैन्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण/सह—‘with the troops’

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), सहार्थक-अव्यय (comitative particle)

• मान-मत्तः: pride-intoxicated
• मान-मत्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māna (मान प्रातिपदिक) + matta (मत्त प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (हेतु/उपपदभाव: मानेन मत्तः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘intoxicated with pride’

• क्रीडा-अर्थम्: for play/sport
• क्रीडा-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krīḍā (क्रीडा प्रातिपदिक) + artha (अर्थ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चतुर्थी/षष्ठीभाव: क्रीडायै अर्थः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• आसाद्य: having approached
• आसाद्य: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-sad (आसद् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (Kridanta), ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); ‘having reached/approached’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म—‘that (one)’

• गिरि-इन्द्रम्: lord of mountains
• गिरि-इन्द्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (गिरि प्रातिपदिक) + indra (इन्द्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गिरिणाम् इन्द्रः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म—‘lord of mountains’

• मतिम्: intention
• मतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (मति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म—‘intention/mind’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्ता—‘he’

• वासाय: for residence
• वासाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (वास प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान—‘for dwelling/residence’

• चकार: made
• चकार: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘made/did’

• मोहात्: out of delusion
• मोहात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: moha (मोह प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतुः/अपादान—‘from delusion/out of delusion’

Speaker

Sūta Goswāmī

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how māna (pride) and moha (delusion) cloud discernment, making a person treat the world as a playground and claim what is not truly theirs—an egoic error that Shaiva teaching corrects by turning the mind toward Pati (Śiva) as the true refuge.

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

By showing the instability of pride-driven intentions, it implicitly points to the need for surrender to Saguna Śiva (as the compassionate Lord who guides devotees). Linga-worship disciplines the mind away from possessiveness and toward steadfast devotion and humility.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to dissolve māna and moha, supported by daily Śiva-pūjā with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and a brief self-inquiry before action: “Is this desire born of pride or devotion?”