Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 19

रुद्र-विष्णोः ऐकत्व-उपदेशः तथा धर्म-आज्ञा

Instruction on Rudra–Viṣṇu Unity and Divine Injunctions

Devanagari script

वैष्णवेन तु वर्षेण दिनं रौद्रं भवेद्ध्रुवम् । हरो वर्षशते याते नररूपेण संस्थितः

Transliteration

vaiṣṇavena tu varṣeṇa dinaṃ raudraṃ bhaveddhruvam | haro varṣaśate yāte nararūpeṇa saṃsthitaḥ

Translation

परंतु वैष्णवाच्या एका वर्षाने निश्चयच एक रौद्र-दिन मोजला जातो. शंभर वर्षे गेल्यावर हर (शिव) नररूपाने प्रतिष्ठित होतात.

Word by Word

• वैष्णवेन: by a Vaiṣṇava (measure)
• वैष्णवेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; 'वर्षेण' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• वर्षेण: by a year
• वर्षेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• दिनम्: a day
• दिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रौद्रम्: Raudra (pertaining to Rudra)
• रौद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'दिनम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भवेत्: would be/becomes
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (indeclinable adverbial accusative): 'certainly'

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिवस्य नाम

• वर्ष-शते: in (the span of) a hundred years
• वर्ष-शते: Kāla/Adhikaraṇa (काल/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/काल), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ('in a hundred years')

• याते: having passed
• याते: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'वर्षशते' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्—'when (it) has passed'

• नर-रूपेण: in human form
• नर-रूपेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ('in the form of a man')

• संस्थितः: was situated/abided
• संस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थः—'standing/abiding, situated'

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana cosmological reckoning to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Rudra-day measured by Vaiṣṇava year; periodic descent/manifestation (nara-rūpa)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Hara)
• Vishnu (by reference: Vaiṣṇava)

FAQs

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

It teaches that cosmic time is not uniform: divine measures (Rudra-day, Vaiṣṇava year) reveal the ordered governance of creation under Pati (Hara). Recognizing Shiva as the Lord of time supports Shaiva Siddhanta contemplation of the soul’s liberation from time-bound limitation.

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

By stating that Hara becomes established in a human form after a defined cycle, the verse affirms Saguna manifestation—Shiva compassionately becomes accessible within the world. Linga worship likewise makes the transcendent (Nirguna) Lord approachable through a sacred, perceivable form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is disciplined time-based worship: daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, using regular cycles (day/year) to align personal practice with Shiva’s cosmic order.