Shloka 12

नन्दिकेशावतारवर्णनम् (Nandikeśa Avatāra Varṇanam) — “Account of the Descent/Origin of Nandikeśvara”

Devanagari script

तावपि त्रिपुरार्यंगसम्भावौ मरणान्वितौ । तयोरप्यायुषा मानं कथितं निगमे पृथक्

Transliteration

tāvapi tripurāryaṃgasambhāvau maraṇānvitau | tayorapyāyuṣā mānaṃ kathitaṃ nigame pṛthak

Translation

Selbst jene beiden—Tripura und Āryaṃga—obgleich erhaben in ihrem Ursprung, waren doch dem Tod verbunden. Und für jeden von ihnen ist das Maß der Lebensspanne in den Nigamas (vedischen Offenbarungen) gesondert dargelegt.

Word by Word

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (अपि = also/even)

• tripura-arya-aṅga-sambhāvau: Tripura and Āryaṅga
• tripura-arya-aṅga-sambhāvau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tripura + ārya + aṅga + sambhāva (त्रिपुर + आर्य + अङ्ग + सम्भाव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); dvandva naming two: Tripura and Āryaṅga (as two beings)

• maraṇa-anvitau: subject to death
• maraṇa-anvitau: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: maraṇa + anvita (मरण + अन्वित प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘endowed with death/mortal’

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (अपि)

• āyuṣā: by lifespan/with life-span
• āyuṣā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyus (आयुस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• mānam: measure/extent
• mānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māna (मान प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kathitam: has been stated
• kathitam: Kriya (क्रिया/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (कथ् धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with ‘mānam’ (acc. sg.)

• nigame: in the Veda/scripture
• nigame: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nigama (निगम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pṛthak: separately/distinctly
• pṛthak: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Tripura
• Aryaṃga

FAQs

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

It underscores a core Shaiva teaching: even great and illustrious beings remain within saṃsāra and are subject to death, while only Shiva (Pati) is truly deathless; liberation comes by His grace and right worship, not by worldly status.

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

By highlighting universal mortality, the verse points the seeker toward Saguna Shiva worship—especially the Linga as the accessible form of the transcendent—so devotion and surrender may lead beyond the cycle of birth and death.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with remembrance of Shiva as Mṛtyuñjaya (conqueror of death), supported by Shaiva disciplines like vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa when undertaken with devotion.