Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

अन्धक-प्रश्नः — Inquiry into Andhaka

Genealogy and Nature

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । शृणु व्यास महेशस्य चरितं मंगलायनम् । यथान्धको गाणपत्यं प्राप शंभोः परात्मनः

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | śṛṇu vyāsa maheśasya caritaṃ maṃgalāyanam | yathāndhako gāṇapatyaṃ prāpa śaṃbhoḥ parātmanaḥ

Translation

సనత్కుమారుడు అన్నాడు—ఓ వ్యాసా! మహేశ్వరుని మంగళప్రదమైన, పుణ్యదాయకమైన చరిత్రను విను; పరమాత్ముడైన శంభువుని నుండి అంధకుడు శివగణాధిపత్యాన్ని ఎలా పొందాడో.

Word by Word

• सनत्कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ऋषिनाम

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• व्यास: O Vyāsa
• व्यास: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• महेशस्य: of Maheśa (Śiva)
• महेशस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• चरितम्: deed, story
• चरितम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भावे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'चरित' = आचरितं/कथा

• मंगल-आयनम्: a source of auspiciousness
• मंगल-आयनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of चरितम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मंगल (प्रातिपदिक) + आयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मंगलस्य आयनम् = auspicious source/abode)

• यथा: how
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (how/just as)

• अन्धकः: Andhaka
• अन्धकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गाणपत्यम्: the status of Gaṇapati (lordship over the gaṇas)
• गाणपत्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाणपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'गणपतित्वम्/गणाध्यक्षत्वम्'

• प्राप: attained
• प्राप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शंभोः: from Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: Apadana/Source (अपादान/Source; genitive used for source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पर-आत्मनः: of the Supreme Self
• पर-आत्मनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of शंभोः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परश्चासौ आत्मा)

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sanatkumara
• Vyasa
• Andhaka
• Mahesha
• Shambhu
• Ganas

FAQs

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

The verse frames Śiva’s deeds as “maṅgalāyana”—a direct source of auspiciousness—teaching that śravaṇa (devotional listening) to Śiva-kathā purifies the soul and draws Śiva’s grace, who is affirmed here as Parātman, the supreme Lord (Pati) over all.

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

By praising Maheśa/Śambhu’s “carita,” it points to Saguna Śiva—Śiva known through divine names, forms, and actions—whose compassionate governance (including over the gaṇas) is contemplated in Linga worship as the living presence of the Lord who bestows boons and disciplines ego.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate practice is śravaṇa and manana: regularly hear/recite Śiva Purāṇa narratives with devotion, ideally alongside Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple Śiva-upacāra (bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa, where appropriate) to steady the mind in Śiva-bhakti.