Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 57

विष्णु-ब्रह्म-विवाद-वर्णनम्

Description of the Viṣṇu–Brahmā Dispute and Brahmā’s Confusion

Devanagari script

मेरुपर्वतवर्ष्माणं गौरतीक्ष्णोग्रदंष्ट्रिणम् । कालादित्यसमाभासं दीर्घघोणं महास्वनम्

Transliteration

meruparvatavarṣmāṇaṃ gauratīkṣṇogradaṃṣṭriṇam | kālādityasamābhāsaṃ dīrghaghoṇaṃ mahāsvanam

Translation

അവന്റെ ദേഹം മേരുപർവ്വതംപോലെ മഹത്തായിരുന്നു; ഗൗരവർണ്ണൻ, തീക്ഷ്ണവും ഭയങ്കരവുമായ ദംഷ്ട്രകളുള്ളവൻ. കാലാന്ത്യസൂര്യനെപ്പോലെ ദീപ്തനായി, ദീർഘഘോണമുള്ളവൻ, മഹാഗംഭീര നാദത്തോടെ ഗർജ്ജിക്കുന്നവൻ ആയിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• meru-parvata-varṣmāṇam: having the bulk of Mount Meru
• meru-parvata-varṣmāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: meru + parvata + varṣman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—मेरुपर्वतस्य वर्ष्म (having a body like Mount Meru / of Meru-mountain bulk)

• gaura-tīkṣṇa-ugra-daṃṣṭriṇam: white, sharp, fierce-tusked
• gaura-tīkṣṇa-ugra-daṃṣṭriṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaura + tīkṣṇa + ugra + daṃṣṭrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुविशेषण-समाहारः (multi-adjective karmadhāraya): गौरः (white), तीक्ष्णः (sharp), उग्रः (fierce) दंष्ट्रिणः (tusked)

• kāla-āditya-sama-ābhāsam: having a radiance like Kāla-Āditya
• kāla-āditya-sama-ābhāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla + āditya + sama + ābhāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुषः—कालादित्येन समः आभासः यस्य (shining like the dark sun)

• dīrgha-ghoṇam: long-snouted
• dīrgha-ghoṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha + ghoṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—दीर्घा घोणा यस्य (long-snouted)

• mahā-svanam: loud-roaring
• mahā-svanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + svana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—महान् स्वनः यस्य (great-sounding/loud-voiced)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Varāha (not in the listed 25; mapped to Mahādeva as the indwelling Lord)

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kāla-āditya (end-of-time sun) imagery evoking pralaya/mahāpralaya overtones

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse evokes sacred awe (bhaya-bhakti): the overwhelming, cosmic majesty of a divine form that surpasses ordinary perception, turning the mind from worldly measures to reverent surrender before the Supreme (Pati) who governs creation and dissolution.

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

Such vivid iconography supports Saguna-upāsanā—meditation on Shiva’s manifest power—preparing the devotee for deeper contemplation of the Linga as the formless (Nirguna) reality signified through a worshipful symbol.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna with the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while visualizing Shiva’s all-consuming radiance, followed by simple Linga worship with bilva leaves and a calm, steady breath to stabilize the mind in devotion.