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

Namun dengan satu tahun Vaiṣṇava, satu hari Rudra pasti diukur. Apabila seratus tahun berlalu, Hara (Śiva) pun tegak bersemayam dalam rupa manusia, menzahirkan diri di tengah makhluk.

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.