Shloka 12

शारभावतारवर्णनम्

Account of Śiva’s Śārabha Manifestation and the Measureless Avatāras

Devanagari script

तं श्रुत्वा भ्रातरं वीरं निहतं प्राणसन्निभम् । चुकोप हरयेऽतीव हिरण्यकशिपुर्मुने

Transliteration

taṃ śrutvā bhrātaraṃ vīraṃ nihataṃ prāṇasannibham | cukopa haraye'tīva hiraṇyakaśipurmune

Translation

O Weiser, als Hiraṇyakaśipu vernahm, dass sein heldenhafter Bruder—ihm so lieb wie das eigene Leben—erschlagen worden war, entbrannte er in übergroßem Zorn gegen Hari (Viṣṇu).

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया; ‘having heard’

• भ्रातरम्: brother
• भ्रातरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• वीरम्: heroic/brave
• वीरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (भ्रातरम्)

• निहतम्: slain
• निहतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-han (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (भ्रातरम्)

• प्राण-सन्निभम्: as dear as life
• प्राण-सन्निभम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāṇa + sannibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (प्राणानां सन्निभः = like life/breath); पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (भ्रातरम्)

• चुकोप: became enraged
• चुकोप: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kup (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• हरये: against/for Hari (Vishnu)
• हरये: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative), एकवचनम्

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तीव्रतासूचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (intensifier adverb)

• हिरण्यकशिपुः: Hiraṇyakaśipu
• हिरण्यकशिपुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hiraṇyakaśipu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Hiranyakashipu
• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

It highlights how intense attachment and grief can erupt as krodha (anger), strengthening pasha (bondage) and obscuring discernment—an obstacle on the path where Shiva is realized as the liberating Pati.

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

The verse sets a moral-psychological backdrop: when passions dominate, one turns outward in hostility; Linga/Saguna Shiva worship trains the mind toward steadiness, devotion, and inner restraint rather than reactive rage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pacify krodha through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and adopting Shaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and rudrāksha as reminders of detachment and self-control.