Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 2

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

तत्राद्भुता महादिव्या लिंगोत्पत्तिः श्रुता शुभा । श्रुत्वा यस्याः प्रभावं च दुःखनाशो भवेदिह

Transliteration

tatrādbhutā mahādivyā liṃgotpattiḥ śrutā śubhā | śrutvā yasyāḥ prabhāvaṃ ca duḥkhanāśo bhavediha

Translation

അവിടെ ലിംഗപ്രാകട്യത്തിന്റെ അത്ഭുതകരവും മഹാദിവ്യവും ശുഭവുമായ കഥ ശ്രവിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. അത് കേട്ട് അതിന്റെ മഹിമ അറിഞ്ഞാൽ, ഈ ജീവിതത്തിലേ തന്നെ ദുഃഖനാശം സംഭവിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक अव्यय/adverb of place)

• अद्भुता: wonderful
• अद्भुता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• महादिव्या: greatly divine
• महादिव्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महादिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः कर्मधारय (महान् + दिव्य); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• लिङ्गोत्पत्तिः: the origin of the liṅga
• लिङ्गोत्पत्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग-उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लिङ्गस्य उत्पत्तिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रुता: heard/recited
• श्रुता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; लिङ्गोत्पत्तिः इत्यस्य विशेषण

• शुभा: auspicious
• शुभा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• यस्याः: whose/of which
• यस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of which/whose)

• प्रभावम्: power, glory
• प्रभावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• दुःखनाशः: destruction of sorrow
• दुःखनाशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख-नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दुःखस्य नाशः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would occur/become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देश/कालवाचक; adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General liṅga-udbhava theme: the self-manifest Liṅga appears as a transcendent sign (liṅga) of the Pati beyond conceptual grasp; hearing its origin destroys sorrow.

Significance: Śravaṇa of liṅgotpatti-māhātmya is presented as a direct purifier (pāvanī) and sorrow-destroyer in this life, functioning like a ‘kathā-tīrtha’.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that śravaṇa (devout listening) to the auspicious revelation of Shiva as the Liṅga carries transformative śakti: it purifies the mind, loosens pāśa (bondage), and diminishes duḥkha in lived experience, aligning the soul toward Pati (Shiva).

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

It frames the Liṅga as Shiva’s gracious, worshipable manifestation (saguṇa-upāsanā support) through which devotees can approach the transcendent (nirguṇa) reality—hearing its glory strengthens faith and makes Liṅga-bhakti fruitful.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular śravaṇa or pāraṇa (recitation-listening) of the Liṅga-utpatti episode, ideally alongside Pañcākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple Liṅga-pūjā (water/abhisheka), is implied as a practical means for reducing sorrow.