Shloka 1

नन्दिकेश्वरावताराभिषेकविवाहवर्णनम्

Nandikeśvara: Incarnation, Consecration, and Marriage—Description

Devanagari script

नन्दिकेश्वर उवाच । तत्र गत्वा मुनेऽहं वै स्थित्वैकान्तस्थले सुधीः । अतपं तप उग्रं सन्मुनीनामपि दुष्करम्

Transliteration

nandikeśvara uvāca | tatra gatvā mune'haṃ vai sthitvaikāntasthale sudhīḥ | atapaṃ tapa ugraṃ sanmunīnāmapi duṣkaram

Translation

Nandikeśvara sprach: „O Weiser, dort angekommen, blieb ich, fest in meinem Entschluss, an einem einsamen, abgeschiedenen Ort und vollzog eine gewaltige Askese, einen Tapas, der selbst für edle ṛṣis schwer ist.“

Word by Word

• नन्दिकेश्वरः: Nandikeśvara
• नन्दिकेश्वरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिकेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/लिट्); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya); देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya); निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• स्थित्वा: having stayed
• स्थित्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• एकान्त-स्थले: in a solitary place
• एकान्त-स्थले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa): एकान्तस्य स्थलम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुधीः: (being) wise
• सुधीः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition to अहम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); गुणवाचक-नाम (wise person)

• अतपम्: I performed austerity
• अतपम्: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past/लङ्); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उग्रम्: fierce
• उग्रम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) तपः इति

• सत्-मुनीनाम्: of even the good sages
• सत्-मुनीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (Karmadhāraya): सन्तः मुनयः; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya); अपि-निपात (particle: even/also)

• दुष्करम्: difficult to do
• दुष्करम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) तपः इति

Speaker

Nandikeśvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha

Sthala Purana: Forest/solitude tapas resonates with Kedāra’s Himalayan ascetic ethos where Śiva is approached through severe austerity and seclusion.

Significance: Strengthening vairāgya and tapas; seeking Śiva’s presence in solitude and hardship as a purifier of pāśa (bondage).

Characters & Entities

• Nandikeśvara (Nandi)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights disciplined solitude (ekānta) and intense tapas as a Shaiva means of inner purification—reducing pasha (bondage) and making the devotee fit for Shiva’s grace (anugraha).

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

Although the Linga is not named here, the mood is devotional Shaiva sādhanā: secluded practice and austerity are presented as supportive disciplines that prepare the seeker for focused worship of Saguna Shiva and reverence to the Linga as Shiva’s abiding presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Ekānta-vāsa (seclusion) with sustained tapas implies steady japa and dhyāna; in Shaiva practice this is commonly paired with Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with simple observances such as bhasma/tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa when undertaken as part of one’s vrata.