Shloka 70

द्विजेश्वरावतारः

The Manifestation of Shiva as Dvijeśvara

Devanagari script

इदं चरित्रं परमं पवित्रं शिवावतारस्य पवित्रकीर्त्तेः । द्विजेशसंज्ञस्य महाद्भुतं हि शृण्वन्पठञ्शम्भुपदम्प्रयाति

Transliteration

idaṃ caritraṃ paramaṃ pavitraṃ śivāvatārasya pavitrakīrtteḥ | dvijeśasaṃjñasya mahādbhutaṃ hi śṛṇvanpaṭhañśambhupadamprayāti

Translation

Diese Erzählung ist höchst erquicklich und überaus heilig—von der Śiva-Inkarnation, deren Ruhm selbst rein ist, bekannt als Dvijeśa—wahrlich wunderbar. Wer sie hört oder rezitiert, gelangt zum Zustand (zur Wohnstatt) Śambhus.

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्म-रूपेण (this)

• चरित्रम्: story/deed
• चरित्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्म (object of hearing/reading)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (चरित्रम्)

• पवित्रम्: pure/holy
• पवित्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (चरित्रम्)

• शिवावतारस्य: of Śiva’s incarnation
• शिवावतारस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठीतत्पुरुषः ‘शिवस्य अवतारः’

• पवित्रकीर्त्तेः: of (him) whose fame is pure
• पवित्रकीर्त्तेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवित्र-कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘पवित्रा कीर्तिः’

• द्विजेशसंज्ञस्य: of the one named ‘Dvijeśa’
• द्विजेशसंज्ञस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विजेश-संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठीतत्पुरुषः ‘द्विजेश इति संज्ञा यस्य’ (epithet)

• महाद्भुतम्: very wonderful
• महाद्भुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘महत् अद्भुतम्’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• शृण्वन्: hearing
• शृण्वन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present Active Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘hearing’

• पठन्: reading/reciting
• पठन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present Active Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘reading/reciting’

• शम्भुपदम्: Śambhu’s abode
• शम्भुपदम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु-पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/गति), एकवचन; षष्ठीतत्पुरुषः ‘शम्भोः पदम्’

• प्रयाति: attains/goes
• प्रयाति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Phala-śruti: the Dvijeśa-avatāra-caritra is declared ‘parama-pavitra’; śravaṇa/pāṭha itself becomes a tīrtha-like purifier culminating in Śambhu-pada.

Significance: Establishes śravaṇa and pāṭha as efficacious pilgrimage-substitutes: hearing/reciting with faith yields Śiva-loka/Śāmbhava-pada by grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shambhu
• Dvijesha

FAQs

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

It declares śravaṇa (devout listening) and pāṭha (reverent recitation) of Śiva’s avatāra-caritra as inherently purifying and capable of granting Śambhu-pada—liberation/entry into Shiva’s divine state—through Shiva’s grace, aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis on grace (anugraha) and devotion.

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

By praising an avatāra-līlā (Saguna Shiva’s manifest play), the verse supports devotional engagement with Shiva’s forms and deeds; such kathā functions like Linga-worship in cultivating remembrance (smaraṇa) and surrender, leading the devotee toward Shiva’s highest reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular śravaṇa and pāṭha of Shiva Purana narratives as a daily vrata, ideally preceded by simple purification (bhasma/tripundra if practiced) and concluded with japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as an offering of devotion.