Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

वसन्त-प्रभावः तथा काम-उद्दीपन-वर्णनम् | Spring’s Influence and the Arousal of Kāma

Devanagari script

अथ लीलाकरस्तत्र तपः परमदुष्करम् । तताप स वशीशो हि हरो दुःखहरः प्रभुः

Transliteration

atha līlākarastatra tapaḥ paramaduṣkaram | tatāpa sa vaśīśo hi haro duḥkhaharaḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

随后，就在彼处，行神戏（līlā）之主承担了极其艰难的苦行。诚然，诃罗——至上的自在者、除苦之主——以强烈的苦修（tapas）而行，作为统御一切的主宰。

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपक्रम (discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भार्थक/अनन्तरार्थक (particle: then/now)

• लीलाकरः: the doer of sport (Śiva)
• लीलाकरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: there)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular)

• परमदुष्करम्: most difficult
• परमदुष्करम्: कर्मणि विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; विशेषणम् (adjective) तपः-शब्दस्य

• तताप: performed austerity / did penance
• तताप: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वशीशः: lord of the self-controlled
• वशीशः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) (apposition to सः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वशी (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• दुःखहरः: remover of sorrow
• दुःखहरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Hara)

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as both līlā-kartā (the one who enacts divine play) and duḥkha-hara (the remover of suffering): his tapas symbolizes supreme self-mastery and compassionate guidance, showing that disciplined austerity and devotion lead the seeker toward purification and liberation.

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

By describing Hara as the personal Lord who actively undertakes tapas, the verse supports Saguna Shiva-bhakti: devotees worship the Linga as the accessible form of that same Lord whose grace removes sorrow, while remembering his transcendent supremacy beyond all limitation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is tapas expressed as steady daily sādhanā—Pañcākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), meditation on Shiva as duḥkha-hara, and simple vrata-like discipline (purity, restraint), optionally supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as Shaiva aids to focus.