Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 36

पार्वत्याः तपः—हिमालयादिभिः उपदेशः / Pārvatī’s Austerity and Counsel from Himālaya and Others

Devanagari script

देवा ऊचुः । महाभयंकरं क्रुद्धं कालानलसमप्रभम् । न यास्यामो वयं सर्वे विरूपाक्षं महाप्रभम्

Transliteration

devā ūcuḥ | mahābhayaṃkaraṃ kruddhaṃ kālānalasamaprabham | na yāsyāmo vayaṃ sarve virūpākṣaṃ mahāprabham

Translation

諸天は言った。「彼はこの上なく恐ろしく、憤怒に燃え、万物を呑む時（カーラ）の火のごとく輝く。我ら一同、偉大なる光威を具えたヴィルーパークシャ、偉大なる主に近づくことはできぬ。」

Word by Word

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• महाभयम्-करम्: causing great fear
• महाभयम्-करम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā (पूर्वपद) + भय (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘भयम् कर’ = causing fear; विशेषण (विरूपाक्षम्)

• क्रुद्धम्: enraged
• क्रुद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) → क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (विरूपाक्षम्)

• काल-अनल-सम-प्रभम्: having radiance like the fire of Time
• काल-अनल-सम-प्रभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘कालानल’ = fire of time (cosmic fire) + ‘समप्रभ’ = having equal radiance; विशेषण (विरूपाक्षम्)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (particle of negation)

• यास्यामः: we shall go
• यास्यामः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘वयम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• विरूपाक्षम्: Virūpākṣa (Śiva)
• विरूपाक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूप (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः = ‘whose eyes are strange/uneven’ (epithet of Śiva)

• महाप्रभम्: the greatly splendid one
• महाप्रभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā (पूर्वपद) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (विरूपाक्षम्)

Speaker

The Devas (gods)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Invokes the dread of approaching the Lord in his ugra aspect (Virūpākṣa/kālānala): motivates propitiation and humility, transforming fear into devotion and eventual grace.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kali

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kālānala imagery (time-fire of dissolution)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It shows how even the Devas are overwhelmed before Śiva’s awe-inspiring Saguna manifestation; in Shaiva Siddhanta, such fear indicates the soul’s smallness before Pati (the Lord) and points toward the need for surrender rather than mere celestial power.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Śiva as Virūpākṣa—an approachable yet formidable divine form; Linga-worship trains the devotee to approach the same Lord with reverence and steadiness, transforming fear into bhakti and śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to calm fear through japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa, cultivating inner composure to approach the Lord with devotion rather than avoidance.