Shloka 1

एकादशरुद्रावतारकथनम् / Account of the Eleven Rudra Manifestations

Rudrāvatāras

Devanagari script

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । एकादशवतारान्वै शृण्वथो शांकरान्वरान् । याञ्छ्रुत्वा न हि बाध्येत बाधासत्यादिसम्भवा

Transliteration

nandīśvara uvāca | ekādaśavatārānvai śṛṇvatho śāṃkarānvarān | yāñchrutvā na hi bādhyeta bādhāsatyādisambhavā

Translation

Nandīśvara sprach: „Hört wahrlich die elf höchst glückverheißenden Inkarnationen Śaṅkaras. Wer sie vernommen hat, wird nicht von Leiden bedrängt, die aus ‚vermeintlichen Wirklichkeiten‘ entstehen — aus den vielen Bedingungen, die Schmerz hervorbringen.“

Word by Word

• नन्दीश्वरः: Nandīśvara
• नन्दीश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एकादशवतारान्: the eleven incarnations
• एकादशवतारान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादश + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (एकादश अवताराः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• शृण्वथः: you two listen
• शृण्वथः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• शांकरान्: of Śaṅkara, Śaiva
• शांकरान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शांकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वरान्/अवतारान्)

• वरान्: excellent, best
• वरान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying अवतारान्)

• यान्: which (those)
• यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (referring to अवतारान्)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (कृदन्त-क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप (gerund/absolutive)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• बाध्येत: would be afflicted
• बाध्येत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (passive sense: 'would be afflicted')

• बाधा-सत्य-आदि-सम्भवा: arising from obstacles, falsehood, etc.
• बाधा-सत्य-आदि-सम्भवा: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाधा + सत्य + आदि (अव्यय) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (बाधा-सत्य-आदिभ्यः सम्भवा = arising from obstacles, untruth, etc.); विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective, implied for 'बाधा')

Speaker

Nandīśvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Nandi

FAQs

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

The verse teaches śravaṇa (devotional listening) of Shiva’s manifestations: by hearing the eleven forms of Śaṅkara with faith, the devotee’s bondages that produce suffering loosen, turning the mind toward Shiva (Pati) rather than worldly conditions (pāśa).

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

The “eleven incarnations of Śaṅkara” are Saguna revelations of the same Supreme Shiva worshiped as the Linga. Hearing their glories supports Linga-bhakti by stabilizing devotion and reducing fear of worldly obstacles.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A clear takeaway is Shiva-kathā-śravaṇa: recite or listen to the chapter on Shiva’s forms, ideally alongside japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and simple Shaiva observances like bhasma-dhāraṇa (Tripuṇḍra) where appropriate.