Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 63

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

अहं दुःखोदधौ मग्ना उद्धरिष्यामि च प्रजाः । सम्यक्ज्ञानप्रदानेन गुरुमूर्तिपरिग्रहः

Transliteration

ahaṃ duḥkhodadhau magnā uddhariṣyāmi ca prajāḥ | samyakjñānapradānena gurumūrtiparigrahaḥ

Translation

दुःखरूपी समुद्रात बुडालेल्या प्रजांचा मी उद्धार करीन। सम्यक ज्ञान देण्यासाठी मी गुरु-स्वरूप धारण करतो।

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थे; एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), लिङ्ग-निर्देशः न (common)

• दुःख-उदधौ: in the ocean of sorrow
• दुःख-उदधौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (दुःखस्य उदधिः)

• मग्ना: sunk/immersed
• मग्ना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मग्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मज्ज् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अहम्-सम्बन्धि विशेषणम्

• उद्धरिष्यामि: I will rescue
• उद्धरिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्+√हृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रजाः: the creatures/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सम्यक्-ज्ञान-प्रदानेन: by the giving of right knowledge
• सम्यक्-ज्ञान-प्रदानेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (सम्यक् ज्ञानस्य प्रदानम्)

• गुरु-मूर्ति-परिग्रहः: the assumption/adoption of the Guru-form
• गुरु-मूर्ति-परिग्रहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + परिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गुरोः मूर्तेः परिग्रहः / गुरु-मूर्तिरूपः परिग्रहः)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (as the compassionate Pati taking the Guru-form to grant liberating knowledge)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: anugraha-kriyā foregrounded: liberation of pashus from duḥkha-vāridhi through samyak-jñāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Guru

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as Pati (the Lord) whose compassion expresses itself as Guru-tattva: He liberates beings drowning in duḥkha by granting samyak-jñāna, the right knowledge that cuts bondage and leads to moksha.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna Shiva’s grace: the same Shiva worshipped as the Linga also takes an accessible Guru-form to teach and transmit liberating knowledge, guiding the devotee from outer worship to inner realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Seek Shiva as Guru through disciplined śravaṇa-manana (listening and contemplation of Shaiva teachings) along with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), treating knowledge and devotion together as the means of upliftment.