Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

मन्नाभिकमलाज्जातः पुरा ब्रह्मा जगत्करः । सर्वाधिकस्स्वतन्त्रश्च कर्ता हर्ताखिलेश्वरः

Transliteration

mannābhikamalājjātaḥ purā brahmā jagatkaraḥ | sarvādhikassvatantraśca kartā hartākhileśvaraḥ

Translation

Einst wurde Brahmā, aus dem Lotus meines Nabels geboren, zum Schöpfer der Welt; (man hielt ihn für) höchst und unabhängig, den Handelnden und den Zurücknehmenden, den Herrn über alles.

Word by Word

• मत्-नाभि-कमलात्: from my navel-lotus
• मत्-नाभि-कमलात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + नाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + कमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter; कमल), पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; ‘मत्’ = अस्मद्-षष्ठी (my) in compound

• जातः: born
• जातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जन् (धातु) + क्त (past passive participle)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ब्रह्मा इत्यस्य विशेषण

• पुरा: formerly, once
• पुरा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: time)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जगत्-करः: maker of the world
• जगत्-करः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्व-अधिकः: superior to all
• सर्व-अधिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate)

• स्वतन्त्रः: independent
• स्वतन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वतन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

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

• कर्त्ता: creator, doer
• कर्त्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + तृ (agent noun)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हर्ता: destroyer, remover
• हर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √हृ (धातु) + तृ (agent noun)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अखिल-ईश्वरः: Lord of all
• अखिल-ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: sṛṣṭi-krama (emanation of Brahmā as secondary creator)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights that Brahma’s creative authority is a derived cosmic role—arising from the Supreme (Shiva)—pointing to Shiva as the ultimate Pati (Lord) beyond all functional creators and dissolvers.

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

By portraying Brahma as originating from the divine source, it supports Saguna Shiva worship (including Linga worship) as devotion to the supreme ground of all cosmic functions, not merely to a secondary deity of creation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Shiva as the inner Lord beyond all cosmic offices while repeating the Panchakshara mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—a meditative recognition that all powers of creation and dissolution rest in Shiva.