Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 50

गाणपत्यदानकथा

Bāṇāsura Receives Gaṇapatya; Genealogical Prelude

Devanagari script

उर्वश्याश्च ततो दृष्ट्वा रूपस्य परिवर्तनम् । कालीरूपं घृताची तु विश्वाची चांडिकं वपुः

Transliteration

urvaśyāśca tato dṛṣṭvā rūpasya parivartanam | kālīrūpaṃ ghṛtācī tu viśvācī cāṃḍikaṃ vapuḥ

Translation

मग उर्वशीच्या रूपातील परिवर्तन पाहून घृताचीने काली-रूप धारण केले आणि विश्वाचीने चंडिकेचे उग्र वपु घेतले।

Word by Word

• urvaśyāḥ: of Urvaśī
• urvaśyāḥ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: urvaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avadhāraṇa (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; deśa-kāla-krama-vācaka (then/from there/ततः)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Gerundial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (absolutive/क्त्वान्त), pūrvakāla-kriyā (prior action)

• rūpasya: of (her) form
• rūpasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन)

• parivartanam: change/transformation
• parivartanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parivartana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन)

• kālī-rūpam: Kālī-form
• kālī-rūpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālī (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (determinative/तत्पुरुष); Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• ghṛtācī: Ghṛtācī (apsaras)
• ghṛtācī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghṛtācī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana

• tu: indeed/and
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; virodha/avadhāraṇa-nipāta (but/indeed/तु)

• viśvācī: Viśvācī (apsaras)
• viśvācī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvācī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samucchaya (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• cāṇḍikam: Cāṇḍikā-like/fierce (as Cāṇḍikā)
• cāṇḍikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāṇḍikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (agreeing with vapuḥ), Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa (adjectival use/विशेषण)

• vapuḥ: body/form
• vapuḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Rudrasaṃhitā’s Yuddhakhaṇḍa narration)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Urvaśī
• Ghṛtācī
• Viśvācī
• Kālī
• Cāṇḍikā

FAQs

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

It highlights the doctrine of Śiva-Śakti: when dharma requires protection, the Divine Power manifests in saguna, fierce forms (Kālī/Cāṇḍikā) to remove obstructive forces and restore cosmic order.

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

Though the Liṅga signifies the transcendent (nirguṇa) Śiva, the Purāṇa also shows His immanent power as Śakti taking visible (saguṇa) forms—teaching devotees to honor both the formless Lord and His manifest energies in protective, transformative grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva-Śakti unity with japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") while contemplating the Goddess’ protective aspect; in ritual, maintain purity with bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and steady the mind through mantra-japa rather than fear of fierce imagery.