Shloka 23

शारभावतारवर्णनम्

Account of Śiva’s Śārabha Manifestation and the Measureless Avatāras

Devanagari script

हते हिरण्यकशिपौ नृसिंहे नैव विष्णुना । जगत्स्वास्थ्यन्तदा लेभे न वै देवाविशेषतः

Transliteration

hate hiraṇyakaśipau nṛsiṃhe naiva viṣṇunā | jagatsvāsthyantadā lebhe na vai devāviśeṣataḥ

Translation

Als Hiraṇyakaśipu erschlagen wurde, geschah dies nicht wirklich durch Viṣṇu – selbst in der Form von Narasiṃha. Dann erlangte die Welt ihr Wohlergehen zurück, denn im Wesen gibt es keine absolute Unterscheidung zwischen den Göttern.

Word by Word

• हते: when slain
• हते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < हन् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative absolute sense ‘when (he) was slain’

• हिरण्यकशिपौ: (in the case of) Hiraṇyakaśipu
• हिरण्यकशिपौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यकशिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; in locative absolute with हते

• नृसिंहे: in/with Nṛsiṃha
• नृसिंहे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृसिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्वास्थ्यम्: well-being
• स्वास्थ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वास्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• लेभे: obtained
• लेभे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/खल्वर्थक-अव्यय (indeed, surely)

• देवात्: from the god (i.e., from Viṣṇu)
• देवात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; Ablative

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: especially)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Narasimha
• Hiranyakashipu

FAQs

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

It teaches that cosmic restoration happens through the Supreme Lord’s sovereignty; even when a specific deity-form appears to act, the ultimate agency is the one highest Reality, aligning with a Shaiva reading where Pati (the Supreme) governs all powers.

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

By stressing the deeper unity behind divine forms, it supports worship of Saguna Shiva (and the Linga as His manifest symbol) as a direct approach to the Supreme who empowers all deities and restores dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate the one Supreme presence behind all divine functions while repeating the Panchakshara mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), cultivating devotion that sees unity rather than rivalry among deities.