Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 33

विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्

Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

यस्मिन्यस्य महाभारमावां स्वस्वैरचारिणौ । निर्वाणधारणं कुर्वः केवलं काशिशायिनौ

Transliteration

yasminyasya mahābhāramāvāṃ svasvairacāriṇau | nirvāṇadhāraṇaṃ kurvaḥ kevalaṃ kāśiśāyinau

Translation

ആ അവസ്ഥയിൽ ഞങ്ങൾ ഇരുവരും സ്വഇച്ഛാനുസാരം സ്വതന്ത്രമായി സഞ്ചരിച്ച്, അസ്തിത്വത്തിന്റെ മഹാഭാരം വഹിച്ചു; എങ്കിലും നിർവാണധാരണയുടെ നില നിലനിർത്തി, കാശിയിൽ മാത്രം വസിക്കുന്നവരായി ഇരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• yasmin: in which
• yasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative)

• yasya: of whom/whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक

• mahā-bhāram: a great burden
• mahā-bhāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय समास (great burden); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• āvām: we two
• āvām: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nominative), द्विवचन; 'we two'

• sva-svaiḥ: by (our) own (ways), each by his own
• sva-svaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; पुनरुक्त-प्रयोग (each by his own)

• acāriṇau: acting freely, roaming
• acāriṇau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā√car (धातु) + in (तद्धित/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इन्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक नाम/विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; 'moving/acting'

• nirvāṇa-dhāraṇam: the sustaining of nirvāṇa
• nirvāṇa-dhāraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirvāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (holding/maintenance of nirvāṇa); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kurvaḥ: (they) do, perform
• kurvaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; (वेदिक/काव्य-रूप: kurvaḥ = kurvataḥ)

• kevalam: only, merely
• kevalam: Nipata/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial use: 'only/merely')

• kāśi-śāyinau: dwelling in Kāśī
• kāśi-śāyinau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक) + śāyin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (one who lies/dwells in Kāśī); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण (of the two)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, quoting the inner narrative voice)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī is portrayed as Śiva’s own abode (kāśiśāyinau), where nirvāṇa is ‘held’—the city functioning as a liberation-field under Viśveśvara’s guardianship.

Significance: Residence/sojourn in Kāśī and remembrance of Viśvanātha is traditionally said to stabilize vairāgya and grant mokṣa-supporting grace (taraka).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmic maintenance framed as ‘nirvāṇa-dhāraṇa’—the paradox of sustaining liberation while bearing the ‘great burden’ of cosmic order.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

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

It presents a Shaiva theme: even while the “great burden” of worldly process continues, liberation is sustained through Shiva’s grace and the unwavering orientation toward nirvāṇa—symbolized here by abiding in Kāśī, the sacred seat of release.

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

Kāśī is traditionally linked with Shiva as Viśveśvara; devotion to Saguna Shiva (often through the Liṅga) anchors the mind in the liberating reality of Pati (Shiva), who can uphold nirvāṇa even amid worldly duties.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Kāśī-centered Shiva-bhakti: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), Liṅga-pūjā, and steady contemplation of liberation (vairāgya), living inwardly as a “Kāśī-dweller” even outside the pilgrimage site.