Shloka 1

शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Pañcabrahma Avatāras

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे तृतीयायां शतरुद्रसंहितायां शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनं नाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe tṛtīyāyāṃ śatarudrasaṃhitāyāṃ śivasya pañcabrahmāvatāravarṇanaṃ nāma prathamo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

وهكذا في «شري شيفا مهابورانا» المقدّس، في الكتاب الثالث «شاتارودرا سَمهِتا»، يَختتم الفصل الأول المعنون: «وصفُ تجلّي شيفا بوصفه البراهمان الخماسي (بانتشابراهمَا)».

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक

• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तृतीयायाम्: in the third
• तृतीयायाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषणम्

• शत-रुद्र-संहितायाम्: in the Śatarudra-saṃhitā
• शत-रुद्र-संहितायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शतरुद्र-नाम्नी संहिता)

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पञ्च-ब्रह्म-अवतार-वर्णनम्: the description of the five Brahma-forms incarnations
• पञ्च-ब्रह्म-अवतार-वर्णनम्: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य/Name-title core)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पञ्चब्रह्मणाम् अवताराणां वर्णनम्)

• नाम: named/called
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; शीर्षक-निर्देशे

• प्रथमः: first
• प्रथमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषणम्

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Colophon announcing the chapter theme: Śiva’s Pañcabrahma manifestation (Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva, Aghora, Tatpuruṣa, Īśāna) foundational to Śaiva theology and iconography.

Significance: Recitation/reading is traditionally held to confer śiva-jñāna and orientation to pañcabrahma-dhyāna used in temple worship.

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This is the chapter-colophon marking the completion of a teaching unit that frames Śiva as the supreme Pati (Lord) who manifests in a fivefold divine principle (Pañcabrahma), guiding seekers from limited identity toward liberation.

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

The Śatarudra Saṃhitā commonly presents Śiva’s infinite forms; the Pañcabrahma theme supports Saguna worship (forms and attributes) as a valid doorway to realizing the deeper, transcendent reality of Śiva represented in Linga worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

As a chapter-ending marker, it does not prescribe a specific rite, but it points toward contemplative worship of Śiva’s fivefold manifestation—typically supported in Shaiva practice by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with devotion and focused meditation.