Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

तल्ललाटादभूच्छम्भुः सृष्ट्यर्थे तेन भूषणम् । अतोऽहं देवदेवस्य तस्य भैरवरूपिणः

Transliteration

tallalāṭādabhūcchambhuḥ sṛṣṭyarthe tena bhūṣaṇam | ato'haṃ devadevasya tasya bhairavarūpiṇaḥ

Translation

Aus Seiner Stirn trat Śambhu hervor zum Zwecke der Schöpfung; darum wurde diese Erscheinung zu Seinem Schmuck. So bin ich verbunden mit jenem Deva der Devas — Ihm, der die Gestalt Bhairavas annimmt.

Word by Word

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of that’ (सम्बन्ध)

• ललाटात्: from the forehead
• ललाटात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अभूत्: arose/became
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सृष्टि-अर्थे: for the purpose of creation
• सृष्टि-अर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—सृष्ट्याः अर्थः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तेन: by that/with that
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• भूषणम्: ornament/adornment
• भूषणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ अव्यय (therefore/from this)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—देवानां देवः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• भैरवरूपिणः: of the one having Bhairava-form
• भैरवरूपिणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—भैरवस्य रूपम् अस्य (तत्पुरुष; रूपिन्-प्रत्ययान्त)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmogonic manifestation for sṛṣṭi (emanation from the divine forehead)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shambhu
• Bhairava

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as the supreme Pati who freely manifests a form (here, Bhairava/Śambhu) for sṛṣṭi—showing that Saguna manifestations are purposeful revelations of the Nirguna Lord for cosmic order and grace.

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

By stating that Śiva ‘became’ or ‘manifested’ for creation and that this manifestation is His ‘ornament,’ the verse supports Saguna worship—devotees approach the transcendent Lord through revealed forms (including Linga and Bhairava) without denying His supreme, formless reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Bhairava-dhyāna with japa of the Panchākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") while contemplating Śiva as the Lord of devas who manifests for the world’s welfare; this can be paired with traditional Shaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa for steadiness in worship.