Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

मन्वन्तर-कल्प-प्रश्नोत्तरम् / Discourse on Manvantaras, Kalpas, and Re-creation

Devanagari script

आस्थाय विपुलं रूपं वाराहममितं विधिः । पृथिव्युद्धरणार्थाय प्रविवेश रसातलम्

Transliteration

āsthāya vipulaṃ rūpaṃ vārāhamamitaṃ vidhiḥ | pṛthivyuddharaṇārthāya praviveśa rasātalam

Translation

Revêtant l’immense et incommensurable forme de Varāha, le Créateur (Brahmā) pénétra dans Rasātala afin de relever la Terre.

Word by Word

• āsthāya: having assumed
• āsthāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; pūrvakāla)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sthā (धातु) absolutive (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त) ‘having assumed/taken’

• vipulam: vast
• vipulam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; qualifier of rūpam

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• vārāham: boar-like (Varāha)
• vārāham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vārāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifier of rūpam

• amitam: immeasurable
• amitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifier of rūpam

• vidhiḥ: the Ordainer (Brahmā)
• vidhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; epithet of Brahmā

• pṛthivī-uddharaṇa-arthāya: for the purpose of raising the earth
• pṛthivī-uddharaṇa-arthāya: Prayojana (प्रयोजन; dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक) + uddharaṇa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ud-√hṛ (धातु) + ल्युट्) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular; Tatpuruṣa chain: ‘for the purpose of lifting the earth’

• praviveśa: entered
• praviveśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√viś (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्), perfect; 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• rasātalam: Rasātala (netherworld)
• rasātalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasātala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse sets up a Varāha-style descent into Rasātala to recover Earth; in Śaiva Purāṇa framing this becomes a prelude to the Liṅga’s transcendence over creator-functions, rather than a Jyotirliṅga origin.

Significance: Contemplation of Śiva as the ground of all cosmic offices (including Brahmā’s) is said to loosen pāśa (bondage) by reorienting the soul from secondary agents to Pati.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Mythic underworld-descent (Rasātala) in a creation-preservation episode

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Varaha

FAQs

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

It portrays the cosmic duty of restoring dharma—yet, from a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, even such grand acts occur within the Lord’s ordered cosmos, urging the seeker to rely on Shiva’s grace (anugraha) for final liberation beyond worldly upheavals.

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

The verse highlights a saguna, form-based divine intervention (Varaha-like rescue). In Shiva Purana practice, such form-worship culminates in steadiness of devotion, which is gathered and centered in Linga-upasana as the most universal emblem of Shiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

As a takeaway, meditate on Shiva as the inner support behind all cosmic restorations, and reinforce daily Shiva-sadhana—japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha—seeking protection of dharma and inner stability.