Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 22
अन्धक-प्रश्नः — Inquiry into Andhaka
Genealogy and Nature
जाते प्रकाशे सति घोररूपो जातोंधकारादपि नेत्रहीनः । तादृग्विधं तं च निरीक्ष्य भूतं पप्रच्छ गौरी पुरुषं महेशम्
jāte prakāśe sati ghorarūpo jātoṃdhakārādapi netrahīnaḥ | tādṛgvidhaṃ taṃ ca nirīkṣya bhūtaṃ papraccha gaurī puruṣaṃ maheśam
Khi ánh sáng bừng lên, hiện ra một hữu thể hình tướng ghê rợn—sinh từ bóng tối mà lại không có mắt. Thấy sinh linh ấy như vậy, Gaurī liền hỏi Đấng Tối Thượng, Mahēśa (Śiva), về nó.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Shakti Form: Gaurī
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse contrasts illumination with the emergence of a fearsome, eyeless being born of darkness—symbolizing ignorance (tamas) that persists until it is understood and resolved under Śiva’s guidance. Gaurī’s inquiry reflects the seeker’s need to question the Lord (Pati) so that obscurity is transformed into right knowledge.
Gaurī turns to Mahēśa as the accessible, saguna Lord who explains and governs the unfolding of events. In Linga-worship, Śiva is approached as the luminous principle that reveals truth and dissolves inner darkness, even when frightening manifestations arise in the world of names and forms.
A practical takeaway is to invoke Śiva as inner light through japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and to cultivate viveka (discernment) when confronted by fear or confusion; Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa can be adopted as reminders of detachment and Śiva’s protection.