Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 2

अलकापतेः तपः-लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा च वरप्राप्तिः / The Lord of Alakā: Austerity, Liṅga-Establishment, and the Receiving of a Boon

Devanagari script

तेनेयमलका भुक्ता पुरी विश्वकृता कृता । आराध्य त्र्यंबकं देवमत्युग्रतपसा पुरा

Transliteration

teneyamalakā bhuktā purī viśvakṛtā kṛtā | ārādhya tryaṃbakaṃ devamatyugratapasā purā

Translation

Nhờ ông, thành Alakā này được hưởng thụ và cai trị—thành do Đấng Tạo Hóa của vũ trụ kiến tạo—sau khi thuở trước ông đã thờ phụng Đức Tryambaka (Śiva) bằng khổ hạnh vô cùng nghiêm khắc.

Word by Word

• tena: by him
• tena: Karta/Karaṇa (कर्ता/करण; ‘by him’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• iyam: this
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• alakā: Alakā
• alakā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: alakā (प्रातिपदिक; place-name)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bhuktā: was enjoyed/possessed
• bhuktā: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate, implied passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु) → bhukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि भावः (‘was enjoyed/possessed’)

• purī: city
• purī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• viśva-kṛtā: by Viśvakṛt (the divine architect)
• viśva-kṛtā: Karaṇa (करण/Agent-instrument ‘by Viśvakṛt’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛt (√kṛ-आधारित, प्रातिपदिक ‘कर्ता/निर्माता’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (viśvasya kartā)

• kṛtā: was made
• kṛtā: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate, implied passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) → kṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ārādhya: having worshipped
• ārādhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√rādh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; ‘having worshipped/propitiated’

• tryaṃbakam: Tryambaka (three-eyed one)
• tryaṃbakam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + ambaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थः (three-eyed)

• devam: the god
• devam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; apposition to tryaṃbakam

• ati-ugra-tapasā: with extremely severe austerity
• ati-ugra-tapasā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + ugra (प्रातिपदिक) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (ati-ugraṃ tapaḥ)

• purā: formerly, once
• purā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Tryambaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Kubera, after intense tapas to Tryambaka, gains lordship and the enjoyment of Alakā—illustrating Śiva’s boon-bestowal (aiśvarya) through devotion.

Significance: Models the Siddhānta principle that even worldly sovereignty arises by Śiva’s anugraha when tapas is directed to the Lord.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that worldly sovereignty and divine prosperity arise as secondary fruits of sincere worship of Tryambaka Śiva; the primary principle is that grace follows disciplined tapas offered with devotion.

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

Tryambaka is Saguna Śiva—approachable through worship and propitiation. In the Shiva Purana, such ārādhana commonly implies reverence to Śiva’s manifest presence (often through the Liṅga) as the channel of grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse highlights ugra-tapas—steady austerity with focused devotion—practically expressed through regular japa (especially Śiva-mantra), disciplined vows, and sustained meditation on Śiva as Tryambaka.