Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 35

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

कैलासनगरं रम्यं सर्वोपरि विराजितम् । निवासार्थं निजस्यैव पंचवक्त्र श्चकार ह

Transliteration

kailāsanagaraṃ ramyaṃ sarvopari virājitam | nivāsārthaṃ nijasyaiva paṃcavaktra ścakāra ha

Translation

Sebagai kediaman-Nya sendiri, Tuhan Berwajah Lima membentuk kota Kailāsa yang indah, berseri gemilang mengatasi segala yang lain.

Word by Word

• kailāsa-nagaram: the city of Kailāsa
• kailāsa-nagaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kailāsa + nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कैलासस्य नगरम्)

• ramyam: beautiful
• ramyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; विशेषणम् (qualifying kailāsa-nagaram)

• sarva-upari: above all
• sarva-upari: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarva + upari (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva-samāsa; avyaya functioning as adverb “above all/at the top”

• virājitam: made splendid / shining
• virājitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-rāj (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृत), Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with kailāsa-nagaram

• nivāsa-artham: for (the purpose of) dwelling
• nivāsa-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nivāsa + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (निवासस्य अर्थः) used adverbially “for residence”

• nijasya: of his own
• nijasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; possessive qualifier

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphasis particle

• pañca-vaktraḥ: the five-faced one (Śiva)
• pañca-vaktraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; बहुव्रीहिः—“one who has five faces” (epithet of Śiva)

• cakāra: made/created
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada

• ha: indeed (particle)
• ha: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; narrative particle (emphatic)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Kailāsa is presented as Śiva’s supreme, resplendent city fashioned for divine residence—an archetypal ‘Śiva-loka’ motif rather than a jyotirliṅga origin.

Significance: Contemplation of Kailāsa signifies aspiration toward Śiva’s abode and proximity to the Lord (sāyujya/sāmīpya motifs in bhakti idiom).

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Sarga context: establishment of a divine realm (Kailāsa) as the paradigmatic Śiva-abode above worldly strata

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kailasa

FAQs

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

It presents Kailāsa as Śiva’s supreme, auspicious realm—symbolizing the highest state of purity and nearness to Pati (the Lord) that the bound soul (paśu) seeks through devotion and grace.

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

By naming Śiva as Pañcavaktra, it emphasizes Saguna worship—meditating on the Lord with attributes and forms—supporting temple/Liṅga worship as a concrete focus for bhakti leading toward realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Pañcavaktra enthroned in Kailāsa while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), cultivating inner ‘Kailāsa’ as a purified seat of awareness.