Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

तुलसी-शङ्खचूडोपाख्यानम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and the Tulasī Episode

Prelude to Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Fall

Devanagari script

कुबेरस्य प्रार्थनया गुणरूपधरो हरः । कैलासवासी गणपः परब्रह्म सतां गतिः

Transliteration

kuberasya prārthanayā guṇarūpadharo haraḥ | kailāsavāsī gaṇapaḥ parabrahma satāṃ gatiḥ

Translation

Theo lời khẩn cầu của Kubera, Hara (Śiva) đã nhận lấy hình tướng saguṇa, đầy đủ phẩm tính thiêng liêng. Ngự tại Kailāsa, Ngài—chủ tể các gaṇa—là Parabrahman và là nơi nương tựa tối hậu của bậc hiền thiện.

Word by Word

• कुबेरस्य: of Kubera
• कुबेरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुबेर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• प्रार्थनया: by (his) request
• प्रार्थनया: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रार्थना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• गुण-रूप-धरः: bearing a form with qualities
• गुण-रूप-धरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गुणरूपं धरति इति), विशेषणम् (हरस्य)

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कैलास-वासी: dweller of Kailāsa
• कैलास-वासी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कैलास (प्रातिपदिक) + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कैलासे वसति), विशेषणम्

• गणपः: lord of the gaṇas
• गणपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पर-ब्रह्म: the Supreme Brahman
• पर-ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परं ब्रह्म)

• सताम्: of the good/virtuous
• सताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• गतिः: refuge/goal
• गतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse evokes Kailāsa as Śiva’s abode and His readiness to assume saguṇa form upon a devotee’s prayer (here Kubera), a common Purāṇic motif of darśana granted through bhakti.

Significance: Meditation on Kailāsa and Gaṇeśa/gaṇa-lordship supports bhakti and surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Śiva as satāṃ gatiḥ.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kubera
• Kailasa
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It affirms Śiva as both saguṇa (approachable through form and qualities in response to devotion) and as Parabrahman (the ultimate reality), teaching that sincere prayer draws divine grace and that the highest gati (final end) of the virtuous is Śiva.

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

By stating that Hara ‘assumes a form with qualities’ in response to Kubera, the verse supports saguna-upāsanā—worship through a manifest form such as the Śiva-liṅga—while simultaneously declaring that the same Lord is Parabrahman beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is bhakti-based japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with liṅga-pūjā (water/abhisheka), holding the attitude that the compassionate Lord of Kailāsa responds to sincere prayer and leads the devotee toward mokṣa.