Shloka 30

अवधूतेश्वरलीला (Avadhūteśvara-līlā) — Śiva Tests Indra’s Pride on the Way to Kailāsa

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे तृतीयायां शतरुद्रसंहितायां नन्दी श्वरसनत्कुमारसंवादे अवधूतेश्वरशिवावतारचरित्रवर्णनं नाम त्रिंशोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe tṛtīyāyāṃ śatarudrasaṃhitāyāṃ nandī śvarasanatkumārasaṃvāde avadhūteśvaraśivāvatāracaritravarṇanaṃ nāma triṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

এইভাবে শ্রীশিব মহাপুরাণের তৃতীয় গ্রন্থ শতারুদ্রসংহিতায় নন্দীশ্বর–সনৎকুমার সংলাপে ‘অবধূতেশ্বর শিবাবতার-চরিতবর্ণন’ নামক ত্রিংশ অধ্যায় সমাপ্ত হল।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समाप्ति/उद्धरण-सूचक

• श्रीशिवमहापुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्रीशिवमहापुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + शिव + महापुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः ‘श्रीशिवस्य महापुराणम्’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तृतीयायाम्: in the third
• तृतीयायाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to ‘संहितायाम्’)

• शतरुद्रसंहितायाम्: in the Śatarudra-saṃhitā
• शतरुद्रसंहितायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतरुद्र + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः ‘शतरुद्रस्य संहिता’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• नन्दीश्वरसनत्कुमारसंवादे: in the dialogue of Nandīśvara and Sanatkumāra
• नन्दीश्वरसनत्कुमारसंवादे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दीश्वर + सनत्कुमार + संवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः ‘नन्दीश्वर-सनत्कुमारयोः संवादः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अवधूतेश्वरशिवावतारचरित्रवर्णनम्: the narration of the story of the Avadhūteśvara incarnation of Śiva
• अवधूतेश्वरशिवावतारचरित्रवर्णनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; title)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवधूतेश्वर + शिवावतार + चरित्र + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘अवधूतेश्वर-शिवावतारस्य चरित्रस्य वर्णनम्’

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (naming particle: ‘called’)

• त्रिंशः: thirtieth
• त्रिंशः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचकः (30th)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Nandishvara; colophon concluding the chapter)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandishvara
• Sanatkumara
• Avadhuteshvara

FAQs

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

This is a chapter-colophon that seals the teaching by naming the avatāra-līlā discussed—Avadhūteśvara—pointing to Śiva as Pati (the liberating Lord) who appears in saguna form to awaken detachment (avadhūta-bhāva) and lead beings toward mokṣa.

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

By explicitly identifying a Śiva-avatāra narrative within the Śatarudra Saṃhitā, it supports saguna-upāsanā: devotees contemplate Śiva’s manifest forms and deeds as valid means to approach the same nirguna Reality, often centered in practice on Liṅga worship, mantra-japa, and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The title “Avadhūteśvara” suggests adopting avadhūta-like inner renunciation: steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), simple disciplined worship (including bhasma/Tripuṇḍra where appropriate), and meditation on Śiva as the inner Guru who cuts bondage (pāśa).