Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29

अन्धक-प्रश्नः — Inquiry into Andhaka

Genealogy and Nature

Devanagari script

अरण्यमाश्रित्य तपश्चकारासुरस्तदा कश्यपजस्सुतार्थम् । काष्ठोपमोऽसौ जितरोषदोषस्संदर्शनार्थं तु महेश्वरस्य

Transliteration

araṇyamāśritya tapaścakārāsurastadā kaśyapajassutārtham | kāṣṭhopamo'sau jitaroṣadoṣassaṃdarśanārthaṃ tu maheśvarasya

Translation

于是那阿修罗依止森林而行苦行，为求得由迦叶波（Kaśyapa）所生之子。他如木段一般——坚固不动——克服了嗔怒之过，只为得见大自在天摩诃湿婆的圣观（darśana）而修此苦行。

Word by Word

• araṇyam: the forest
• araṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; goal of motion

• āśritya: having taken refuge in
• āśritya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√śri (श्रि धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय: ल्यप्), ‘having resorted to’

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• cakāra: did/performed
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• asuraḥ: the asura (demon)
• asuraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• kaśyapa-jaḥ: born of Kaśyapa
• kaśyapa-jaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaśyapa + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘Kaśyapāt jātaḥ’

• suta-artham: for the sake of a son
• suta-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; purpose: ‘for the sake of a son’

• kāṣṭha-upamaḥ: like a log of wood
• kāṣṭha-upamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāṣṭha + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘kāṣṭhasya upamaḥ’ (like wood)

• asau: he
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• jita-roṣa-doṣaḥ: having conquered the fault of anger
• jita-roṣa-doṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita + roṣa + doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘roṣa-doṣaḥ yena jitaḥ’ (anger-fault conquered)

• saṃdarśana-artham: for (the purpose of) seeing
• saṃdarśana-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃdarśana + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; purpose: ‘for the sake of seeing’

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• maheśvarasya: of Maheśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvarasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; ‘mahān īśvaraḥ’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Maheshvara
• Kashyapa

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that even a powerful being must refine the inner self—especially by conquering anger—and become steady in tapas; such inner discipline is presented as the groundwork for receiving Maheśvara’s darśana (gracious revelation).

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

The verse highlights darśana of Maheśvara as the fruit of austerity; in Shaiva practice this corresponds to seeking the Lord’s tangible, grace-filled presence—often approached through Saguna forms like the Śiva-liṅga, where devotion and disciplined worship culminate in felt nearness to Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is tapas with krodha-nigraha (restraint of anger) and unwavering steadiness—meditating without distraction; practically, this aligns with daily Śiva-upāsanā such as japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a calm, motionless posture and purified intent.