Shloka 9

Rudra’s Cosmic Dance and the Recognition of Rudra–Nārāyaṇa Unity (Īśvara-gītā Continuation)

Devanagari script

वसानं चर्म वैयाघ्रं शूलासक्तमहाकरम् / दण्डपाणिं त्रयीनेत्रं सूर्यसोमाग्निलोचनम्

Transliteration

vasānaṃ carma vaiyāghraṃ śūlāsaktamahākaram / daṇḍapāṇiṃ trayīnetraṃ sūryasomāgnilocanam

Translation

In Tigerfell gekleidet, von gewaltiger Gestalt, den Dreizack an sich getragen, den Stab in der Hand—dreiaugig, dessen Augen Sonne, Mond und Feuer sind.

Word by Word

• वसानम्: wearing
• वसानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वसान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √वस् (धातु) + शानच्; वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present participle)

• चर्म: skin, hide
• चर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; (वसानम् इत्यस्य कर्म)

• वैयाघ्रम्: tiger(-skin)
• वैयाघ्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैयाघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; चर्म इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (tiger-skin)

• शूल-आसक्त-महा-करम्: whose great hand holds a trident
• शूल-आसक्त-महा-करम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + आसक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √सञ्ज्/सक्त (धातु) + क्त; आ-) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (शूले आसक्तः महाकरः यस्य = whose great hand is attached to/holding a trident)

• दण्ड-पाणिम्: staff-in-hand
• दण्ड-पाणिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (दण्डः पाणौ यस्य = having a staff in hand)

• त्रयी-नेत्रम्: three-eyed
• त्रयी-नेत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि नेत्राणि यस्य = three-eyed)

• सूर्य-सोम-अग्नि-लोचनम्: whose eyes are the sun, moon, and fire
• सूर्य-सोम-अग्नि-लोचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (सूर्यः सोमः अग्निः लोचने यस्य = whose eyes are Sun, Moon, and Fire)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic discourse describing Rudra/Śiva’s form within the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva
• Trident (Śūla)
• Sun (Sūrya)
• Moon (Soma)
• Fire (Agni)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By portraying the deity as “three-eyed” with Sun, Moon, and Fire as eyes, the verse points to all-pervading awareness that illumines waking, dreaming, and deep-sleep-like states—suggesting a supreme witnessing consciousness behind cosmic functions.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse is iconographic rather than instructional, but it supports dhyāna-yoga: meditators contemplate the Lord’s form (tiger-skin, staff, trident, three eyes) as a symbolic map of mastery over nature (prakṛti), disciplined restraint (daṇḍa), and penetrating insight (agni-like vision).

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Within the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such descriptions of Rudra function as theology of the one Ishvara: Shiva’s cosmic attributes are presented in a Purāṇic framework where sectarian forms converge into a single supreme principle—supporting non-contradiction between Shaiva and Vaishnava devotion.