Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 2

मृत्युञ्जय-विद्या-प्रादुर्भावः

The Manifestation/Transmission of the Mṛtyuñjaya Vidyā

Devanagari script

पुरासौ भृगुदायादो गत्वा वाराणसीं पुरीम् । बहुकालं तपस्तेपे ध्यायन्विश्वेश्वरं प्रभुम्

Transliteration

purāsau bhṛgudāyādo gatvā vārāṇasīṃ purīm | bahukālaṃ tapastepe dhyāyanviśveśvaraṃ prabhum

Translation

முன்னொரு காலத்தில் ப்ருகுவின் வம்சத்தவன் ஒருவன் வாராணசி நகரத்திற்குச் சென்று, உலகாதிபதி விஸ்வேஸ்வரப் பிரபுவைத் தியானித்து நீண்ட காலம் தவம் செய்தான்.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• असौ: that (person)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• भृगु-दायादः: descendant of Bhṛgu
• भृगु-दायादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक) + दायाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive Tatpuruṣa: ‘descendant of Bhṛgu’); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (having gone)

• वाराणसीम्: Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुरीम्: city
• पुरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); वाराणसीम् इति विशेष्य-अपपद (apposition)

• बहु-कालम्: for a long time
• बहु-कालम्: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः कर्मधारय (Karmadhāraya: ‘much time’); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular) (कालावधि-अर्थे)

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेपे: performed (austerity)
• तेपे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• ध्यायन्: meditating
• ध्यायन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विश्व-ईश्वरम्: Viśveśvara (Lord of the universe)
• विश्व-ईश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive Tatpuruṣa: ‘lord of the universe’); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विश्वेश्वरम् इति विशेष्य-अपपद (apposition)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: A Bhṛgu-lineage ascetic comes to Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) and undertakes prolonged tapas with Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha as the meditation-object, establishing the paradigm that liberation in Kāśī is secured by Śiva’s special grace (anugraha) rather than by merit alone.

Significance: Dhyāna and tapas in Kāśī oriented to Viśvanātha is held to accelerate pāśa-kṣaya (weakening of bonds) and stabilize bhakti; Kāśī is famed as a kṣetra where Śiva’s anugraha is especially accessible.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishveshvara
• Varanasi
• Bhrigu

FAQs

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

It presents Kashi (Vārāṇasī) as a preeminent Shaiva kṣetra where sustained tapas and dhyāna on Viśveśvara ripen the soul toward Shiva’s grace, the decisive factor for liberation in Shaiva Siddhanta.

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

By naming Viśveśvara—the well-known Kashi form of Shiva commonly worshipped as a Liṅga—the verse emphasizes Saguna upāsanā: concentrating the mind on Shiva with form and name as a direct means to receive his anugraha (saving grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practice indicated is long-term tapas with dhyāna—steady meditation on Viśveśvara—supported in Shaiva practice by mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and disciplined observances.