Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 39

रुद्रस्य परमात्मत्वे ब्रह्मपुत्रत्वादिसंशयप्रश्नः — Questions on Rudra’s Supremacy and His ‘Sonship’ to Brahmā

Devanagari script

क्षीरार्णवामृतमिव शयानं योगनिद्रया । तमसा कालरुद्राख्यं रजसा कनकांडजम्

Transliteration

kṣīrārṇavāmṛtamiva śayānaṃ yoganidrayā | tamasā kālarudrākhyaṃ rajasā kanakāṃḍajam

Translation

祂安住于瑜伽之眠，如甘露静卧于乳海。由昏性（tamas）而名为迦罗鲁陀罗；由激性（rajas）而为金卵所生的希兰尼耶伽婆。

Word by Word

• क्षीरार्णवामृतम्: nectar of the ocean of milk
• क्षीरार्णवामृतम्: उपमान (Upamāna/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर + अर्णव + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): क्षीरस्य अर्णवः → क्षीरार्णवः, तस्य अमृतम्

• इव: like/as
• इव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• शयानम्: reclining
• शयानम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शी (धातु) + शयान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘lying/reclining’

• योगनिद्रया: by yogic sleep
• योगनिद्रया: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: योगस्य निद्रा

• तमसा: by tamas (darkness)
• तमसा: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• कालरुद्राख्यम्: called Kālarudra
• कालरुद्राख्यम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल + रुद्र + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘कालरुद्र’ इति आख्या यस्य/यत् (named Kālarudra)

• रजसा: by rajas (passion)
• रजसा: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• कनक-अण्डजम्: golden-egg-born
• कनक-अण्डजम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कनक + अण्डज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: कनकात् अण्डजातम्/कनक-अण्डजः (golden-born / born from a golden egg)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Kālāntaka

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Guṇa-traya functional differentiation (tamas/rajas) within cosmic administration

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kalarudra
• Hiranyagarbha

FAQs

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

It points to Shiva as the supreme Pati who remains inwardly established in yoga (yoga-nidrā) while appearing to govern cosmic functions through the guṇas—showing that the Lord is beyond guṇas yet can be spoken of through them for the sake of understanding.

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

The verse explains why Saguna forms and names arise: devotees approach Shiva through accessible manifestations (like Kālarudra, the Lord of Time), while the Liṅga signifies the deeper, guṇa-transcendent reality that underlies all such names and functions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the witness beyond tamas and rajas—japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with inner stillness—contemplating that all cosmic activity arises while the Lord remains established in yoga.