Shloka 31

साधुवेषद्विजाह्वयावतारकथनम् | Account of the ‘Sādhu-veṣa’ Brahmin-Named Incarnation

Prelude

Devanagari script

निराश्रयस्सदासङ्गो विरूपो निगुर्णोऽव्ययः । स्मशानवासी विकटो व्यालग्राही दिगम्बरः

Transliteration

nirāśrayassadāsaṅgo virūpo nigurṇo'vyayaḥ | smaśānavāsī vikaṭo vyālagrāhī digambaraḥ

Translation

Er ist ohne Stütze, stets ungebunden, jenseits aller Gestalt, nirguṇa und unvergänglich. Er weilt auf dem Verbrennungsplatz, von erschütternder Erscheinung, Bezwinger der Schlangen und der in den Himmel Gekleidete, Digambara.

Word by Word

• nir-āśrayaḥ: without support/refuge
• nir-āśrayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (निर्-आश्रयः = आश्रयरहितः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sadā-saṅgaḥ: always attached/always in company
• sadā-saṅgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadā (अव्यय) + saṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सदा सङ्गः यस्य/सदा-सङ्गः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• virūpaḥ: of strange/ugly form
• virūpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: virūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ni-guṇaḥ: without qualities
• ni-guṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni (उपसर्ग) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (निगुणः = गुणरहितः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• avyayaḥ: imperishable/unchanging
• avyayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• śmaśāna-vāsī: dweller in the cremation-ground
• śmaśāna-vāsī: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śmaśāna (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (श्मशाने वासी), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vikaṭaḥ: terrible/grotesque
• vikaṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vikaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vyāla-grāhī: seizer of serpents/wild beasts
• vyāla-grāhī: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyāla (प्रातिपदिक) + grāhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (व्यालं ग्राहयति/गृह्णाति इति; ‘grāhī’ agent-noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dig-ambaraḥ: sky-clad (naked)
• dig-ambaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dik (प्रातिपदिक) + ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (दिशः अम्बरं यस्य सः = दिगम्बरः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who is nirguṇa and imperishable, showing that liberation arises from knowing Him as beyond worldly supports and attachments, even while He compassionately manifests awe-inspiring forms for devotees.

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

The Linga is a primary symbol through which devotees worship Shiva’s saguna accessibility while contemplating His nirguṇa truth—this verse explicitly joins both: the transcendent (nirguṇa, avyaya) and the manifest (śmaśānavāsī, digambara).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice vairāgya and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while meditating on Shiva’s asanga (non-attachment); for ritual, apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of impermanence symbolized by the cremation-ground.