Shloka 56

एकोनविंशतिशिवावतारवर्णनम्

Description of the Nineteen Manifestations/Avatāras of Śiva

Devanagari script

भक्त्या मयि च योगेन ध्याननिष्ठा जितेन्द्रियाः । संख्यया द्वादशाधिक्य शतं च गणिता बुधैः

Transliteration

bhaktyā mayi ca yogena dhyānaniṣṭhā jitendriyāḥ | saṃkhyayā dvādaśādhikya śataṃ ca gaṇitā budhaiḥ

Translation

Diejenigen, die in Hingabe zu Mir und durch Yoga in der Meditation standhaft bleiben und ihre Sinne bezwungen haben—die Weisen haben sie der Zahl nach als einhundertzwölf gezählt.

Word by Word

• भक्त्या: by devotion
• भक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• मयि: in me
• मयि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• योगेन: by yoga
• योगेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• ध्याननिष्ठाः: steadfast in meditation
• ध्याननिष्ठाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्याननिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—ध्याने निष्ठा येषाम् (meditation-fixed)

• जितेन्द्रियाः: having conquered the senses
• जितेन्द्रियाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जितेन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—इन्द्रियाणि जितानि येषाम्

• संख्यया: by count/number
• संख्यया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• द्वादशाधिक्य: increased by twelve
• द्वादशाधिक्य: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश + आधिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—द्वादशेन अधिक्यम् (excess by twelve)

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गणिताः: counted
• गणिताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गणि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थ (counted)

• बुधैः: by the wise (sages)
• बुधैः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/कर्तृ), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It honors the Shaiva path where devotion to Shiva is united with yogic discipline: sense-mastery (jitendriya) and steady meditation (dhyāna-niṣṭhā) are marks of mature seekers recognized by the wise.

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

By directing devotion “unto Me,” the verse supports Saguna Shiva-upāsanā (including Linga worship) as a foundation that ripens into inner yoga—external reverence culminating in inward absorption in Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The key practice is dhyāna with sense-restraint: meditate on Shiva with bhakti, supported by yogic steadiness; practitioners commonly pair this with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as a Shaiva meditative discipline.