Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7

शङ्खचूडदूतागमनम् — The Arrival of Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Envoy

and Praise of Śiva

Devanagari script

कारणं कारणानां च नरकार्णवतारणम् । ज्ञानप्रदं ज्ञानबीजं ज्ञानानन्दं सनातनम्

Transliteration

kāraṇaṃ kāraṇānāṃ ca narakārṇavatāraṇam | jñānapradaṃ jñānabījaṃ jñānānandaṃ sanātanam

Translation

彼は因の中の因、衆生を地獄の苦海より渡らせる方。解脱の智を授け、智の種子であり、真智より生ずる永遠の歓喜—常住不滅である。

Word by Word

• kāraṇam: the cause
• kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kāraṇānām: of causes
• kāraṇānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• naraka-arṇava-tāraṇam: the deliverer across the ocean of hell
• naraka-arṇava-tāraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka + arṇava + tāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नरक-रूपस्य अर्णवस्य तारणम् = deliverance across the ocean of hell), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• jñāna-pradam: giver of knowledge
• jñāna-pradam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ज्ञानं प्रददाति = giver of knowledge), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• jñāna-bījam: seed of knowledge
• jñāna-bījam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna + bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ज्ञानस्य बीजम् = seed of knowledge), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• jñāna-ānandam: bliss of knowledge
• jñāna-ānandam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna + ānanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (ज्ञानम् एव आनन्दः = bliss that is knowledge), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• sanātanam: eternal
• sanātanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Shiva Purana to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, praising Lord Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakshinamurti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes Śiva as the supreme teacher and savior: liberation is crossing beyond naraka-like saṃsāric suffering through jñāna bestowed by Śiva’s grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: kāraṇaṃ kāraṇānāṃ ca narakārṇavatāraṇam | jñānapradaṃ jñānabījaṃ jñānānandaṃ sanātanam

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who is the ultimate cause and the compassionate liberator, granting jñāna that destroys bondage and carries the soul beyond suffering toward mokṣa.

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

The Liṅga is revered as the sign of the eternal Pati: worshipping Saguna Śiva through the Liṅga leads the devotee to receive His grace and jñāna, culminating in realization of His timeless, supreme nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Liṅga-pūjā with the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and contemplative japa on Śiva as the giver of jñāna is implied as the practical means to cross suffering and awaken liberating knowledge.