Shloka 21

शिवध्यानपूजनवर्णनम्

Description of Śiva Meditation and Worship

Devanagari script

चतुर्भुजमुदाराङ्गं मुकुटादिविभूषितम् । वरदाभयहस्तं च शक्तिकुक्कुटधारिणम्

Transliteration

caturbhujamudārāṅgaṃ mukuṭādivibhūṣitam | varadābhayahastaṃ ca śaktikukkuṭadhāriṇam

Translation

Er war vierarmig, von edlem und erhabenem Leib, geschmückt mit Krone und anderem Zierrat. Eine Hand gewährte Gaben (varada), eine andere spendete Furchtlosigkeit (abhaya), und er trug den śakti-Speer sowie das Hahn-Emblem als sein Zeichen.

Word by Word

• चतुर्-भुजम्: four-armed
• चतुर्-भुजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (four-armed)

• उदार-अङ्गम्: having noble limbs
• उदार-अङ्गम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदार (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘उदारं अङ्गं यस्य/यत्’)

• मुकुट-आदि-विभूषितम्: adorned with a crown etc.
• मुकुट-आदि-विभूषितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुकुट (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past passive participle) ‘adorned’; समाहार/तत्पुरुषः ‘मुकुटादिभिः विभूषितम्’

• वरद-अभय-हस्तम्: with hands granting boons and fearlessness
• वरद-अभय-हस्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरद (प्रातिपदिक) + अभय (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (hands that grant boons and fearlessness)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शक्ति-कुक्कुट-धारिणम्: bearing a spear and a rooster
• शक्ति-कुक्कुट-धारिणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + कुक्कुट (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘धारिन्’ = शतृ/इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessor); तत्पुरुषः ‘शक्तिं कुक्कुटं च धारयति’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

The verse presents a Saguna (iconic) vision of the divine commander born of Shiva’s grace—boon-giving and fear-dispelling—showing that Shiva’s power (śakti) protects devotees and removes obstacles on the path to liberation.

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

In Shaiva tradition, the formless Linga is the supreme principle, while such described forms are compassionate manifestations for meditation and devotion; worship of these forms is understood as worship offered to Shiva’s own power and presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on the deity’s abhaya (fearlessness) and varada (boon) gestures while repeating the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya); offer simple worship (lamp, flowers) as an expression of bhakti to Shiva and his divine family.