Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38
विष्णूत्पत्तिवर्णनम्
Description of the Origin/Manifestation of Viṣṇu
ततः पुमानाविरासीदेकस्त्रैलोक्यसुंदरः । शांतस्सत्त्वगुणोद्रिक्तो गांभीर्य्यामितसागरः
tataḥ pumānāvirāsīdekastrailokyasuṃdaraḥ | śāṃtassattvaguṇodrikto gāṃbhīryyāmitasāgaraḥ
അപ്പോൾ ത്രിലോകത്തിനും മനോഹരനായ ഒരേ ദിവ്യപുരുഷൻ പ്രത്യക്ഷനായി—സ്വഭാവത്തിൽ ശാന്തൻ, സത്ത്വഗുണം നിറഞ്ഞവൻ, അളവറ്റ സമുദ്രംപോലെ ഗാംഭീര്യമുള്ളവൻ।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Cosmic Event: First clear emergence of an individualized ‘puruṣa’ within the sṛṣṭi sequence
FAQs
It portrays the first manifesting Divine Person as serene, sattva-dominant, and unfathomably profound—indicating that creation proceeds from Shiva’s ordered, grace-filled (anugraha) manifestation, leading souls toward clarity, devotion, and liberation.
By describing a perceivable, attribute-bearing manifestation (śānta, sattvic, beautiful), the verse supports Saguna-upāsanā—worship of Shiva with form and qualities—of which the Śiva-liṅga is the central, accessible symbol in the Shiva Purana.
Meditate on Shiva as ‘śānta’ (peace itself) and as an ‘amita-sāgara’ (boundless ocean) while chanting the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—cultivating sattva through purity, calm breath, and steady japa.