Shloka 21

भैरवोत्पत्तिः ब्रह्मदर्पनिग्रहश्च

Origin of Bhairava and the Subduing of Brahmā’s Pride

Devanagari script

इत्यनुगृह्य भगवान्केतकं विधिमाधवौ । विरराज सभामध्ये सर्वदेवैरभिष्टुतः

Transliteration

ityanugṛhya bhagavānketakaṃ vidhimādhavau | virarāja sabhāmadhye sarvadevairabhiṣṭutaḥ

Translation

وهكذا، بعدما تفضّل الربّ المبارك بنعمته على كِتَكا، وعلى وِدهي (براهما) ومادهافا (فيشنو)، أشرق متلألئاً في وسط المجلس، وقد سبّحه جميع الآلهة.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-निपात (quotative particle)

• अनुगृह्य: having favored/blessed
• अनुगृह्य: Purvakala-Kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) ‘having favored’; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (indeclinable verbal)

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• केतकम्: Ketaka
• केतकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• विधि: Brahmā (Vidhī)
• विधि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• माधवौ: (and) Mādhava (Viṣṇu) (the two)
• माधवौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-रूप (here: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, कर्म, द्विवचन)

• विरराज: shone forth
• विरराज: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + राज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सभामध्ये: in the midst of the assembly
• सभामध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सभा + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सर्वदेवैः: by all the gods
• सर्वदेवैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• अभिष्टुतः: praised (by)
• अभिष्टुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + स्तुत (कृदन्त; स्तु धातु से क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त-विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Śiva’s grace extends across the assembly: Ketakī is reassigned, and Brahmā-Viṣṇu are also ‘favored’—implying their correction, pacification, and reintegration into right knowledge after the liṅga’s revelation.

Significance: Highlights that even the highest devas require Śiva’s anugraha to overcome māyā-born rivalry and to recognize the supreme Pati.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Post-Liṅgodbhava reconciliation: divine hierarchy re-established through Śiva’s self-revelation and grace.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Ketaki
• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) whose anugraha (grace) restores cosmic order: when truth and humility are upheld, the Devas recognize His supremacy and praise Him, indicating that liberation ultimately depends on Śiva’s compassionate bestowal of grace.

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

In the Viśveśvara context, Śiva’s resplendence in the divine assembly points to the Linga as His manifest (saguṇa) revelation for worship—where the formless Supreme becomes approachable, receives stuti (praise), and grants anugraha to beings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is stuti and bhakti: offer sincere hymns and mental worship to Śiva-Linga with truthfulness and humility; reciting the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as praise aligns the devotee with Śiva’s grace.