Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । इत्येतद्वचनं श्रुत्वा नारदस्य महात्मनः । स्मृत्वा शिवपदांभोजं ब्रह्मा सादरमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | ityetadvacanaṃ śrutvā nāradasya mahātmanaḥ | smṛtvā śivapadāṃbhojaṃ brahmā sādaramabravīt

Translation

سوتا نے کہا—مہاتما نارَد کے یہ کلمات سن کر برہما نے شیو کے قدموں کے کنول کا دھیان کیا اور نہایت ادب سے کہا۔

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative/thus)

• एतत्-वचनम्: this statement
• एतत्-वचनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् + वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: एतस्य वचनम्

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• नारदस्य: of Nārada
• नारदस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled
• महात्मनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) नारदस्य

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• शिवपदाम्भोजम्: Śiva’s lotus-feet
• शिवपदाम्भोजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + पद + अम्भोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: शिवस्य पदाम्भोजम् (lotus-feet of Śiva)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सादरम्: respectfully
• सादरम्: Prakara (प्रकार/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स + आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचन (adverbial accusative): ‘with respect’

• अब्रवीत्: spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: अ (augment)

Speaker

Sūta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Śiva
• Brahmā

FAQs

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

It shows the Shaiva ideal of beginning all true knowledge with remembrance of Śiva’s lotus-feet—signifying surrender to Pati (the Lord) as the source of grace and right understanding.

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

Remembering Śiva’s lotus-feet is a bhakti-oriented approach to Saguna worship; in Purāṇic practice this devotion is commonly expressed through Linga-upāsanā, where reverence precedes instruction, ritual, and discourse.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is to begin study or japa with Śiva-smaraṇa—mentally bowing to Śiva’s feet—then recite the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to steady attention and invite Śiva’s grace.