Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

पूजास्थानशुद्धिः पात्रशोधनं च — Purification of the Worship-Space and Preparation of Ritual Vessels

Devanagari script

बालेन्दुमुकुटं सौम्यं त्रिनेत्रं च चतुर्भुजम् । दीप्तशूलमृगीटंकतिग्मवेत्रधरं प्रभुम्

Transliteration

bālendumukuṭaṃ saumyaṃ trinetraṃ ca caturbhujam | dīptaśūlamṛgīṭaṃkatigmavetradharaṃ prabhum

Translation

Er erblickte den Herrn—sanft und glückverheißend—mit der Mondsichel als Krone, dreiäugig und vierarmig; den erhabenen Meister, der den flammenden Dreizack, das Hirschzeichen und einen scharf strahlenden Stab trägt.

Word by Word

• बाल-इन्दु-मुकुटम्: (him) with a crescent-moon diadem
• बाल-इन्दु-मुकुटम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) + मुकुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः (बाल इन्दुः यस्य मुकुटम्/इन्दुमुकुटम्)

• सौम्यम्: gentle/auspicious
• सौम्यम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• त्रि-नेत्रम्: three-eyed
• त्रि-नेत्रम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि नेत्राणि यस्य)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चतुर्-भुजम्: four-armed
• चतुर्-भुजम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (चत्वारो भुजाः यस्य)

• दीप्त-शूल-मृगीटंक-तिग्म-वेत्र-धरम्: bearing a blazing trident, a deer-mark, and a sharp staff
• दीप्त-शूल-मृगीटंक-तिग्म-वेत्र-धरम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + मृगीटंक (प्रातिपदिक) + तिग्म (प्रातिपदिक) + वेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘दीप्तं शूलं च मृगीटंकं च तिग्मं वेत्रं च धारयति’ इति (उपपद-समासप्राय)

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents a dhyāna-portrait of Saguna Shiva: the gentle Lord whose three eyes signify omniscient awareness, whose crescent crown shows mastery over time, and whose weapons indicate the power that cuts bondage (pāśa) and protects the soul (paśu) under the grace of Pati.

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

Though the Linga points to the Nirguna reality, this verse supports Saguna upāsanā by giving concrete attributes for meditation—Trinetra, crescent, and divine emblems—so the devotee can concentrate the mind and approach the same Supreme Shiva revealed by the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Shiva-dhyāna: visualize the three-eyed Lord with the crescent and trident while softly repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya); accompany with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and devotion.