Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

मन्वन्तर-कल्प-प्रश्नोत्तरम् / Discourse on Manvantaras, Kalpas, and Re-creation

Devanagari script

पीनवृत्तघनस्कंधपीनोन्नतकटीतटम् । ह्रस्ववृत्तोरुजंघाग्रं सुतीक्ष्णपुरमण्डलम्

Transliteration

pīnavṛttaghanaskaṃdhapīnonnatakaṭītaṭam | hrasvavṛttorujaṃghāgraṃ sutīkṣṇapuramaṇḍalam

Translation

كانت كتفاه ممتلئتين مستديرتين شديدتي التماسك والقوة؛ وكانت خصره ووركاه عريضين ثابتين مرتفعين. وكانت فخذاه وساقاه قصيرتين مستديرتين حسنَتي الهيئة، ومقدّمته موسومة بتقوّس كرويّ حادّ المعالم—هكذا وُصفت تلك الهيئة المهيبة.

Word by Word

• pīna-vṛtta-ghana-skandha-pīna-unnata-kaṭī-taṭam: with thick, rounded, dense shoulders and full, raised hips/waist-sides
• pīna-vṛtta-ghana-skandha-pīna-unnata-kaṭī-taṭam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīna (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (कृदन्त; √vṛt + क्त) + ghana (प्रातिपदिक) + skandha (प्रातिपदिक) + pīna (प्रातिपदिक) + unnata (कृदन्त; ud-√nam + क्त) + kaṭī (प्रातिपदिक) + taṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-श्रृंखला (dense/rounded/broad shoulders; raised hips/waist-sides); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• hrasva-vṛtta-uru-jaṃghā-agram: with short, rounded, broad shanks and prominent foreparts
• hrasva-vṛtta-uru-jaṃghā-agram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hrasva (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (कृदन्त; √vṛt + क्त) + uru (प्रातिपदिक) + jaṃghā (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (short/rounded; with broad shanks; ‘jaṃghā-agra’ = forepart/tip of the shanks); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• su-tīkṣṇa-pura-maṇḍalam: with a very sharp circular enclosure/outline (maṇḍala)
• su-tīkṣṇa-pura-maṇḍalam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + tīkṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + pura (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: तत्पुरुष (su-tīkṣṇa ‘very sharp’ + pura-maṇḍala ‘city/fort-circle’ i.e., enclosure/outline); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This verse supports saguna-dhyāna: contemplating Shiva’s auspicious, perfectly proportioned form to steady the mind and awaken devotion, which in Shaiva Siddhanta becomes a means for grace (anugraha) leading toward liberation.

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

While Linga worship points to Shiva as the transcendent Pati beyond form, this description affirms that the same Supreme also compassionately appears in a graspable form for meditation and bhakti—both approaches converge in reverence to Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use dhyāna during japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), visualizing Shiva’s auspicious form; this can be paired with traditional Shaiva observances like vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and rudrāksha as supports for focused remembrance.