Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 19

वसन्तस्वरूपवर्णनम् — Description of the Form/Nature of Vasant

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Devanagari script

अगृहीतेषुणा चैव हरेण कथमादिना । मध्यमा च भवेत्सृष्टिस्तद्वाचा नान्यवारिता

Transliteration

agṛhīteṣuṇā caiva hareṇa kathamādinā | madhyamā ca bhavetsṛṣṭistadvācā nānyavāritā

Translation

若原初的哈利（毗湿奴）连箭都未曾执起，中间阶段的创造又怎能成立？正因这句话，一切相反之见皆被排除——离开主宰的引导意志，创造决不可能自行推进。

Word by Word

• अगृहीतेषुणा: by him whose arrow was not taken up
• अगृहीतेषुणा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- + गृहीत + इषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; नञ्-समासः—अगृहीत इषुः येन (one whose arrow is not taken up)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• हरेण: by Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरेण: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• आदिना: by the beginning/first (cause)
• आदिना: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-भाव (instrumental: by/with the beginning/first cause)

• मध्यमा: the middle (one)
• मध्यमा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• भवेत्: would be; may become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सृष्टिः: creation
• सृष्टिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तद्वाचा: by that statement/word
• तद्वाचा: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + वाच्/वाचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तृतीया—करण/हेतु (by that word/speech)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अन्यवारिता: not prevented by another
• अन्यवारिता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य + वारित (√वृ/वार् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) ‘वारित’ = prevented; विशेषण (sṛṣṭiḥ)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudra Saṃhitā’s Sati-khaṇḍa account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmogonic sequencing of creation dependent on divine volition

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that cosmic processes do not run autonomously; even the functions attributed to Viṣṇu or other deities operate only when aligned with the Supreme Lord’s (Śiva’s) governance—Pati directing all tattvas and powers.

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

The verse supports the Purāṇic-Shaiva view that the manifest Lord (Saguna Śiva), symbolized by the Liṅga, is the regulating center of creation, preservation, and dissolution; worship anchors the devotee in that supreme directing Reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the inner governor (antaryāmin) while reciting the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to align one’s will with the Lord who empowers all actions and cosmic functions.