Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

हर्षगद्गदया वाचा नतस्कंधः कृताञ्जलिः । प्रसन्नात्मा शिलादस्स तुष्टाव परमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

harṣagadgadayā vācā nataskaṃdhaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ | prasannātmā śilādassa tuṣṭāva parameśvaram

Translation

Mit vor Freude stockender Stimme, gesenkten Schultern und in Añjali gefalteten Händen pries Śilāda, von heiterer Seele, Parameśvara — Śiva, den höchsten Herrn.

Word by Word

• हर्षगद्गदया: with (a voice) choked by joy
• हर्षगद्गदया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हर्ष-गद्गद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—हर्ष-गद्गद (तत्पुरुषः: ‘stammering due to joy’); विशेषणम् वाचा इति

• वाचा: with voice
• वाचा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• नतस्कन्धः: with bowed shoulders
• नतस्कन्धः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत-स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—नतस्कन्ध (कर्मधारयः: ‘bowed-shouldered/with bent shoulders’)

• कृताञ्जलिः: with hands folded (añjali made)
• कृताञ्जलिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कृत-अञ्जलि (तत्पुरुषः: ‘having made añjali’)

• प्रसन्नात्मा: with a serene heart
• प्रसन्नात्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—प्रसन्नात्मन् (कर्मधारयः: ‘one whose self is pleased’)

• शिलादः: Śilāda
• शिलादः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिलाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; रूपम्—तुष्टाव (स्तुतवान्)

• परमेश्वरम्: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—परमेश्वर (कर्मधारयः: ‘supreme lord’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the episode of Śilāda praising Lord Shiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shilada

FAQs

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

It highlights bhakti as an inner transformation: when the heart becomes prasanna (clear and serene), praise (stuti) arises naturally and turns the devotee toward Parameśvara, the liberating Lord (Pati) who loosens bondage (pāśa).

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

The verse depicts classic saguna-upāsanā markers—añjali, humility, and emotional devotion—through which the devotee approaches Śiva as Parameśvara; such embodied reverence commonly culminates in stuti and pūjā of the Śiva-liṅga in Purāṇic practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt añjali and namra-bhāva (humble posture) while reciting Śiva-stuti or the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” letting the mind settle into prasannatā (calm clarity) as the core of worship.