Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

वृन्दायाः दुष्स्वप्न-दर्शनं तथा पातिव्रत्य-भङ्गोपक्रमः / Vṛndā’s Ominous Dreams and the Prelude to the Breach of Chastity

Devanagari script

स्वप्नमध्ये हि सा विष्णुमायया प्रददर्श ह । भर्त्तारं महिषारूढं तैलाभ्यक्तं दिगंबरम्

Transliteration

svapnamadhye hi sā viṣṇumāyayā pradadarśa ha | bharttāraṃ mahiṣārūḍhaṃ tailābhyaktaṃ digaṃbaram

Translation

സ്വപ്നത്തിനുള്ളിൽ അവൾ വിഷ്ണുവിന്റെ മായയാൽ തന്റെ ഭർത്താവിനെ കണ്ടു—മഹിഷത്തിന്മേൽ ആരൂഢനായി, തൈലം പുരട്ടപ്പെട്ടവനായി, ദിഗംബരനായി.

Word by Word

• स्वप्नमध्ये: in the midst of a dream
• स्वप्नमध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वप्ने मध्ये)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (particle: 'indeed/for')

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विष्णु-मायया: by Viṣṇu's illusion
• विष्णु-मायया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः माया)

• प्रददर्श: saw clearly/beheld
• प्रददर्श: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• ह: indeed (narrative particle)
• ह: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: पूरणार्थक-अव्यय (expletive particle, narrative)

• भर्त्तारम्: husband
• भर्त्तारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महिषारूढम्: mounted on a buffalo
• महिषारूढम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महिष + आरूढ (प्रातिपदिक; आरूढ = कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from आ+रुह्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः तत्पुरुषः (महिषे आरूढः); विशेषणम् (भर्त्तारम्)

• तैलाभ्यक्तम्: smeared with oil
• तैलाभ्यक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तैल + अभ्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक; अभ्यक्त = कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from अभि+अञ्ज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः तत्पुरुषः (तैलेन अभ्यक्तः); विशेषणम् (भर्त्तारम्)

• दिगंबरम्: sky-clad/naked
• दिगंबरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिक् + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः बहुव्रीहिः (दिशः अम्बरं यस्य = whose garment is the directions); विशेषणम् (भर्त्तारम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; the dream-image (buffalo mount, nakedness, oil-smearing) signals death-impurity and inauspiciousness, foreshadowing ruin.

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse presents a dream-vision produced through māyā, showing how the world of appearances can convey omens and inner turbulence; in a Śaiva reading, it underscores that the bound soul (paśu) must seek refuge in Pati (Śiva) beyond deceptive appearances.

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

Dreams and omens highlight the instability of mental images; Liṅga-worship trains devotion toward a stable sacred focus (saguṇa upāsanā) that gradually leads beyond māyā toward Śiva’s transcendent reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter fear and illusion with steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple Śiva-upacāras such as offering water to the Liṅga and applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of impermanence.