Shloka 17

वीरभद्र-भैरव-आह्वानम् — Invocation of Vīrabhadra/Bhairava for Cosmic Reabsorption

Devanagari script

वीरभद्र उवाच । जगत्सुखाय भगवन्नवतीर्णोसि माधव । स्थित्यर्थं त्वं प्रयुक्तोऽसि परेशः परमेष्ठिना

Transliteration

vīrabhadra uvāca | jagatsukhāya bhagavannavatīrṇosi mādhava | sthityarthaṃ tvaṃ prayukto'si pareśaḥ parameṣṭhinā

Translation

Vīrabhadra sprach: „O seliger Herr Mādhava, du bist zum Heil und Glück der Welt herabgestiegen. Zum Zwecke der Erhaltung der Schöpfung bist du vom höchsten Herrn, Parameṣṭhin, dem Schöpfer, beauftragt worden.“

Word by Word

• vīrabhadraḥ: Vīrabhadra
• vīrabhadraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrabhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom), Ekavacana

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect/लिट्), Parasmaipada, Prathama puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथम), Ekavacana; √vac (to speak)

• jagat-sukhāya: for the welfare/happiness of the world
• jagat-sukhāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी: 'happiness of the world'), Napuṃsakaliṅga (sukha neut), Caturthī (Dative/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana

• bhagavan: O Lord
• bhagavan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana

• avatīrṇaḥ: descended / incarnated
• avatīrṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-tṝ (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त/PPP used actively) from √ava-tṝ (to descend/incarnate); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present/लट्), Parasmaipada, Madhyama puruṣa (2nd/मध्यम), Ekavacana; √as (to be)

• mādhava: O Mādhava
• mādhava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Voc), Ekavacana

• sthiti-artham: for the purpose of preservation
• sthiti-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthiti (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (चतुर्थी/षष्ठी sense: 'for the purpose of maintenance'), Puṃliṅga (artha masc) used adverbially; Dvitīyā (Acc), Ekavacana

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Madhyama-puruṣa pronoun; Prathamā (Nom), Ekavacana

• prayuktaḥ: appointed / employed
• prayuktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-yuj (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP) from √pra-yuj (to employ/appoint); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Parasmaipada, Madhyama puruṣa, Ekavacana

• pareśaḥ: the Supreme Lord
• pareśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (कर्मधारय-like determinative: 'supreme lord'), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• parameṣṭhinā: by Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā)
• parameṣṭhinā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameṣṭhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr), Ekavacana

Speaker

Vīrabhadra

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Vishnu (Mādhava)
• Shiva (Pareśa)
• Brahma (Parameṣṭhin)

FAQs

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

The verse affirms cosmic harmony: Viṣṇu’s descent serves jagat-sukha (the world’s welfare), while ultimate sovereignty remains with Pareśa (the Supreme Lord), aligning with a Shaiva Siddhanta hierarchy where Pati governs all functions.

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

By naming a Supreme Lord (Pareśa) who commissions cosmic roles, the verse supports Saguna Shiva as the personal Lord behind creation’s order—worshipped as Śiva/Liṅga as the governing Pati who empowers other deities’ functions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to meditate on Shiva as Pareśa while reciting the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating that all divine activities (including preservation) proceed by Shiva’s sanction.