Shiva Purana
Also known as: Siva Purana, Śiva Purāṇa, Shiv Purana


A major Purana dedicated to Śiva that combines cosmogony, theogony, mythology, ritual instructions, and devotional hymns across multiple samhitas. It narrates Śiva’s manifestations, marriage to Pārvatī, the births of Gaṇeśa and Kārttikeya, demon battles, and the origins of sacred sites and rites.
Description
The Shiva Purana is a layered Sanskrit compendium centered on Śiva and his family, framing the creation and dissolution of worlds within the rhythms of his ascetic and householder aspects. It interweaves narratives—such as Sati’s self-immolation and Pārvatī’s penance—with doctrine (tattvas, mantras), praise hymns, vrata and pūjā procedures, and topographies of tīrthas and liṅgas. Episodes explain the emergence of archetypal forms (Ardhanārīśvara, Nīlakaṇṭha, Bhairava), the defeat of titans (Tripurasura, Jalandhara, Andhaka), and the salvific potency of remembrance and name-recitation. Its manuscript tradition preserves multiple samhitas and localized sacred geographies, yielding a capacious anthology that shaped Śaiva practice and imagination across regions.
Historiography
Attributed traditionally to Vyāsa, the Purana survives in divergent recensions with varying numbers and names of samhitas. Medieval redactors reshaped content and order; some verses overlap with Linga Purana and other Śaiva/Vaishnava texts. Nepalese and North Indian manuscripts attest extensive ritual chapters and tīrtha lists; printed editions (e.g., Venkateshwar Press) synthesized variant readings. Modern translations selectively render portions, reflecting the text’s composite growth.
Date Notes
Composite Purana with multiple samhitas; verses accreted over centuries. The commonly circulated text reflects medieval redactions; later printed compilations harmonize diverse manuscript traditions.
Archetypes
Major Characters
- Shiva
- Parvati
- Ganesha
- Kartikeya
- Brahma
- Vishnu
- Sati
- Nandi
Myths
- The Infinite Pillar (Linga) of Shiva
- Marriage of Shiva and Parvati
- Birth of Ganesha
- Destruction of Tripura
- The Descent of the Ganga
- Defeat of Andhaka
Facts
- Traditionally one of the eighteen Mahapuranas devoted to Śiva.
- Extant versions present multiple samhitas; names and counts vary by manuscript tradition.
- Self-referential verse counts commonly claim 24,000 ślokas.
- Combines narrative myth, ritual prescriptions, hymns, and tīrtha-mahātmyas.
- Shares verses and themes with Linga Purana and other Śaiva texts, indicating textual reuse.
- Explains the origins and merits of worship of liṅgas and specific Jyotirlinga shrines.
- Central family: Śiva, Pārvatī, Gaṇeśa, and Kārttikeya; many episodes explain their iconography.
- Key mythic motifs include Ardhanārīśvara, Nīlakaṇṭha, Tripurantaka, and Bhairava.
- Ritual chapters outline observances like Śivarātri, vrata fasts, and mantra practice.
- Medieval redactions integrated regional sacred geographies and sectarian doctrines.