Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

गणेशोत्पत्ति-प्रसङ्गः / Episode on the Origin of Gaṇeśa (Śvetakalpa Account)

Devanagari script

इदानीं श्वेतकल्पोक्ता गणेशोत्पत्तिरुच्यते । यत्र च्छिन्नं शिरस्तस्य शिवेन च कृपालुना

Transliteration

idānīṃ śvetakalpoktā gaṇeśotpattirucyate | yatra cchinnaṃ śirastasya śivena ca kṛpālunā

Translation

今ここに、『シュヴェータカルパ』に説かれるガネーシャの御誕生が語られる。すなわち、その首が断たれたのち、慈悲深き主シヴァによって再び甦らされ、恩寵を授けられたのである。

Word by Word

• idānīm: now
• idānīm: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: idānīm (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• śveta-kalpa-uktā: stated in the Śveta-kalpa
• śveta-kalpa-uktā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śveta (प्रातिपदिक) + kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (कृदन्त, √vac)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त-प्रत्यय (क्त), ‘उक्ता’ = said/declared; विशेषणम् (qualifies ‘utpattiḥ’)

• gaṇeśa-utpattiḥ: the birth/origin of Gaṇeśa
• gaṇeśa-utpattiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇeśa (प्रातिपदिक) + utpatti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (gaṇeśasya utpattiḥ)

• ucyate: is being told
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय/सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: where)

• chinnam: cut off
• chinnam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: chinna (कृदन्त, √chid)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• śiraḥ: head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• tasya: of him/its
• tasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śivena: by Śiva
• śivena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• kṛpālunā: (by) the compassionate one
• kṛpālunā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛpālu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies ‘śivena’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Śvetakalpa narration (specific aeonic setting)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganesha

FAQs

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

It introduces Gaṇeśa’s manifestation within a sacred cosmic cycle (Śvetakalpa) and highlights Śiva’s kṛpā (compassionate grace), showing that even after rupture or loss, divine anugraha restores and uplifts the devotee.

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

By explicitly portraying Śiva as kṛpālu (compassionate), it emphasizes Saguna Śiva—accessible through devotion and worship—whose grace governs the cosmic order and protects devotees, a central theme in Purāṇic Śaiva practice alongside Liṅga-upāsanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to begin worship with Gaṇeśa-prārthanā and then invoke Śiva’s grace through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), cultivating surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Śiva’s compassionate guidance.