Shloka 48

शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Pañcabrahma Avatāras

Devanagari script

प्राणस्य चैवोपस्थस्य गंधस्य च भुवस्तथा । सद्योजाताह्वयं रूपमीश्वरं शांकरं विदुः

Transliteration

prāṇasya caivopasthasya gaṃdhasya ca bhuvastathā | sadyojātāhvayaṃ rūpamīśvaraṃ śāṃkaraṃ viduḥ

Translation

يعلم الحكماء أنّ الإله إيشڤارا، السيّد شانكرا المسمّى «ساديوجاتا»، هو المتولّي على نَفَسِ الحياة، وعلى عضوِ التناسل، وعلى العِطر، وعلى عالمِ الأرض (بهو).

Word by Word

• प्राणस्य: of the vital breath
• प्राणस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

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

• उपस्थस्य: of the genital organ
• उपस्थस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• गन्धस्य: of smell/fragrance
• गन्धस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• भुवः: of the earth/world
• भुवः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवस्/भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; Genitive singular (of earth/world)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सद्योजाताह्वयम्: called Sadyojāta
• सद्योजाताह्वयम्: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सद्योजात + आह्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; compound: सद्योजात-आह्वय (named 'Sadyojāta')

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of 'विदुः'

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; in apposition to 'रूपम्' as object

• शांकरम्: pertaining to Śaṅkara
• शांकरम्: विशेषण (Adjective to Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शांकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'रूपम्/ईश्वरम्'

• विदुः: they know/declare
• विदुः: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; parasmaipada

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This verse maps the Sadyojāta aspect of Śiva to key domains of embodied existence—prāṇa (life-force), sensory fragrance, the generative power, and the earth-plane—showing that liberation begins by recognizing the Lord as the inner governor (pati) of body, senses, and world.

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

Sadyojāta is a Saguna (manifest) mode of Īśvara. In Linga worship, devotees meditate that the one formless Śiva reveals Himself through specific divine functions; contemplating Sadyojāta while offering gandha (fragrant substances) and honoring prāṇa aligns external ritual with inner awareness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer gandha (sandal paste, flowers, incense) to the Śiva-liṅga while meditating on prāṇa as Śiva’s power; practice steady breath-awareness (prāṇānusandhāna) and pure conduct to sanctify the generative energy, remembering Sadyojāta as the presiding Lord.