Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 8

अलकापतेः तपः-लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा च वरप्राप्तिः / The Lord of Alakā: Austerity, Liṅga-Establishment, and the Receiving of a Boon

Devanagari script

तावत्तताप स तपस्त्वगस्थिपरिशेषितम् । यावद्बभूव तद्वर्णं वर्षाणामयुतं शतम्

Transliteration

tāvattatāpa sa tapastvagasthipariśeṣitam | yāvadbabhūva tadvarṇaṃ varṣāṇāmayutaṃ śatam

Translation

അദ്ദേഹം അത്യന്തം ഘോരമായ തപസ്സു ചെയ്തു; ത്വക്കും അസ്ഥിയും മാത്രം ശേഷിക്കുന്നത്ര ക്ഷീണിച്ചു; ആ അവസ്ഥ നൂറ് അയുത വർഷങ്ങൾ നിലനിന്നു.

Word by Word

• तावत्: so long; until then
• तावत्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), कालवाचक-अवधि/परिमाण (temporal extent)

• तताप: performed austerity; heated (himself)
• तताप: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• त्वक्-अस्थि-परिशेषितम्: reduced to (mere) skin and bone
• त्वक्-अस्थि-परिशेषितम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वच् (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + परिशेषित (कृदन्त; √शिष्/शेष्)
• Form: समासः (compound) तत्पुरुषः; बहुवचनार्थ-समाहार? (determinative: 'reduced to skin and bone'); परिशेषितम् = भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तपः इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषणम्

• यावत्: until; as long as
• यावत्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), यावत्-तावत् सम्बन्धे कालावधि (correlative: 'until/as long as')

• बभूव: became; came to be
• बभूव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• तत्-वर्णम्: that/its complexion (color)
• तत्-वर्णम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'its color/complexion'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• वर्षाणाम्: of years
• वर्षाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), षष्ठी (genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural)

• अयुतम्: ten thousand
• अयुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nom/acc), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (numeral)

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Pramāṇa (परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nom/acc), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (numeral)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Hyperbolic purāṇic time-span (100 ayuta years) emphasizing supra-human tapas across vast cosmic durations.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva principle that extraordinary tapas (self-purifying discipline) can refine the limited ego and body, preparing the seeker—here Brahmā—for Shiva’s grace and higher revelation beyond mere worldly power.

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

Such prolonged austerity is presented as a means to become fit for the vision and guidance of Saguna Shiva (often revealed as the Linga or a manifest form), through whom the devotee receives direction for creation, order, and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implies sustained sādhanā—steady japa (especially the Panchākṣarī), meditation, and disciplined living—undertaken with humility; it supports Mahāśivarātri-style vows of restraint, prayer, and focused contemplation.