Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

सिसृक्षोरथ मे प्रादुरभवत्पापसर्गकः । अविद्यापंचकस्तात बुद्धिपूर्वस्तमोपमः

Transliteration

sisṛkṣoratha me prādurabhavatpāpasargakaḥ | avidyāpaṃcakastāta buddhipūrvastamopamaḥ

Translation

Nang hangarin kong lumikha, mula sa akin ay lumitaw ang paglikhang tinawag na ‘pāpa-sarga’—ang madilim na agos ng pagkagapos. Mahal kong kaibigan, ito ang limang anyo ng Avidyā, na pinangungunahan ng Buddhi, at tulad ng siksik na dilim.

Word by Word

• sisṛkṣoḥ: of (me) wishing to create
• sisṛkṣoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Desiderative participial base (सन्नन्त/सिसृक्षु) used as Subanta; Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; “of (me) desiring to create”

• atha: then
• atha: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle “then/now”

• me: of me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी) / Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; here genitive “of me”

• prādur: manifestly / forth
• prādur: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prādur (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb “manifestly/into appearance” (often with √bhū)

• abhavat: arose/came to be
• abhavat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ-lakāra (Aorist/अनद्यतनभूत), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada

• pāpa-sargakaḥ: the sinful creation (entity)
• pāpa-sargakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa + sargaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—“a creation/emanation of sin/evil” (पापस्य सर्गकः)

• avidyā-pañcakaḥ: the fivefold ignorance
• avidyā-pañcakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avidyā + pañcaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—“the set of five (pañcaka) of ignorance (avidyā)”

• tāta: O dear one
• tāta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• buddhi-pūrvaḥ: preceded by intellect
• buddhi-pūrvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: buddhi + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—“preceded by intellect” (बुद्ध्या पूर्वः)

• tama-upamaḥ: like darkness
• tama-upamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tamas + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—“comparable to darkness” (तमसः उपमः)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Sarga of bondage: emergence of ‘pāpa-sarga’ identified with fivefold avidyā, a concealment-current within creation

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It explains that bondage begins with the arising of fivefold Avidyā—an obscuring power that makes consciousness turn away from Shiva (Pati) and become entangled as the bound soul (paśu) within the bonds (pāśa).

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

Since Avidyā is described as darkness, Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—functions as a revealed support for purification and right knowledge, turning the mind from tamas toward Shiva’s grace and clarity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter tamas through Shiva-sādhana: japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), wearing/holding rudrākṣa, and applying tripuṇḍra bhasma as reminders of detachment and inner illumination.