Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 49

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

सनकाद्याः सुता मे हि मानसा ब्रह्मसंमिताः । महावैराग्यसंपन्ना अभवन्पंच सुव्रताः

Transliteration

sanakādyāḥ sutā me hi mānasā brahmasaṃmitāḥ | mahāvairāgyasaṃpannā abhavanpaṃca suvratāḥ

Translation

സനകനാദികൾ എന്റെ മാനസപുത്രന്മാരായിരുന്നു; ബ്രഹ്മസമമായ പവിത്രതയും മഹത്വവും ഉള്ളവർ. മഹാവൈരാഗ്യസമ്പന്നരായ ആ അഞ്ചുപേരും സുവ്രതങ്ങളിൽ ദൃഢരായി।

Word by Word

• सनक-आद्याः: Sanaka and others
• सनक-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘beginning with Sanaka’)

• सुताः: sons
• सुताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतुवाचक निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• मानसाः: mind-born
• मानसाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (born of mind)

• ब्रह्म-संमिताः: equal to Brahmā / of Brahmā-like measure
• ब्रह्म-संमिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + संमित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘equal to Brahmā / comparable to Brahman’)

• महा-वैराग्य-संपन्नाः: endowed with great dispassion
• महा-वैराग्य-संपन्नाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + वैराग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संपन्न (कृदन्त, क्त; √पद्/√पन् with सम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘endowed with great dispassion’)

• अभवन्: they became / were
• अभवन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (छान्दस/पाठभेदेन -न्)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; विशेषण (qualifies सुताः)

• सुव्रताः: of good vows
• सुव्रताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘good-vowed/virtuous’)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Sanaka
• Sanandana
• Sanatana
• Sanatkumara
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights that true spiritual authority is marked by inner purity and mahā-vairāgya (great dispassion). The mind-born sages exemplify the Shaiva ideal of turning away from binding desires (pāśa) to move toward liberation and steadfast dharma.

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

By praising dispassion and firm vows, the verse sets the inner qualification for fruitful Shiva-worship. In Shaiva practice, devotion to Saguna Shiva (including Linga worship) becomes most transformative when supported by vairagya and disciplined conduct rather than mere ritualism.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is cultivation of vairagya and vrata (disciplined observance): steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with restraint of senses, alongside simple daily Shiva-upasana done with a renunciate mindset.