Shloka 35

भैरवावतारवर्णनम् (Bhairavāvatāra-varṇanam) — “Description of the Descent/Manifestation of Bhairava”

Devanagari script

असौ हि परमेशानस्स्वयंज्योतिस्सनातनः । आनन्दरूपा तस्यैषा शक्तिर्नागन्तुकी शिवा

Transliteration

asau hi parameśānassvayaṃjyotissanātanaḥ | ānandarūpā tasyaiṣā śaktirnāgantukī śivā

Translation

إنه حقًّا باراميشانا (Parameśāna)، الربّ الأعلى، النور الذاتي والحقّ الأزلي. وقوته—شيفا (Śivā) التي ماهيتها الفرح والغبطة—ليست شيئًا مكتسبًا من خارج، بل هي ملازمة لذاته.

Word by Word

• असौ: he (that one)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), एकवचन (demonstrative pronoun)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• परम-ईशानः: the supreme Lord (Īśāna)
• परम-ईशानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमः ईशानः)

• स्वयम्: by himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• ज्योतिः: light
• ज्योतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), एकवचन

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying परमईशानः/असौ)

• आनन्द-रूपा: bliss-formed
• आनन्द-रूपा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (आनन्दरूपा = whose form is bliss)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/6th), एकवचन

• एषा: this (she)
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), एकवचन

• शक्तिः: Śakti/power
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• आगन्तुकी: adventitious/externally acquired
• आगन्तुकी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आगन्तुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying शक्तिः)

• शिवा: auspicious; Śivā
• शिवा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying शक्तिः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti (Shiva's intrinsic power)

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as self-luminous and eternal, and teaches that bliss (ānanda) is not an external attainment but arises from realizing Shiva and His inseparable Śakti as one reality—guiding the seeker toward liberation.

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

Linga worship points to the svayaṃjyoti (self-effulgent) Shiva beyond form; at the same time, devotion to Saguna Shiva honors His manifest Śakti. The verse supports both: the formless light-principle and its auspicious power present in worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as inner light (jyoti-dhyāna) while repeating the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating that Śivā-Śakti (blissful power) is intrinsic and ever-present, not something to be imported from outside.