Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 142

पञ्चावरणमार्गस्थं योगेश्वरस्तोत्रम्

Pañcāvaraṇa-mārga Stotra to Yogeśvara Śiva

Devanagari script

वृषरूपधरो देवः सौरभेयो महाबलः । वडवाख्यानलस्पर्धां पञ्चगोमातृभिर्वृतः

Transliteration

vṛṣarūpadharo devaḥ saurabheyo mahābalaḥ | vaḍavākhyānalaspardhāṃ pañcagomātṛbhirvṛtaḥ

Translation

Jener überaus mächtige Gott, aus Surabhī geboren, nahm die Gestalt eines Stieres an. Umgeben von den fünf Kuh-Müttern, wetteiferte er in verzehrender, furchtbarer Kraft mit dem lodernden Feuer namens Vaḍavānala.

Word by Word

• वृष-रूप-धरः: bearing the form of a bull
• वृष-रूप-धरः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त; √धृ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः; धरः = वर्तमानकृदन्त/कर्तरि (agentive)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सौरभेयः: Saurabheya (offspring of Surabhi)
• सौरभेयः: सम्बन्ध/अभेद (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौरभेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; गोत्र/वंशज-विशेषः (patronymic)

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् बलः यस्य)

• वडवा-आख्य-अनल-स्पर्धाम्: a rivalry with the fire called Vaḍavā (submarine fire)
• वडवा-आख्य-अनल-स्पर्धाम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वडवा (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक) + स्पर्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (वडवाख्यः अनलः तेन स्पर्धा)

• पञ्च-गो-मातृभिः: by/with five cow-mothers
• पञ्च-गो-मातृभिः: करण/सह (Instrument/करण; also accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या; अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + गो (प्रातिपदिक) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गोमातृ) + पञ्च (संख्यापूर्वपद); करण/सहकारक-प्रयोगः

• वृतः: surrounded
• वृतः: क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), कर्मणि/भावे—‘enclosed/surrounded’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Vaḍavānala (submarine fire) evoked as a cosmic destructive force for comparison

Characters & Entities

• Surabhi
• Vaḍavānala

FAQs

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

The verse elevates the bull-form as a manifestation of concentrated dharmic strength—an image of steadfastness and protective power that, in Shaiva understanding, supports the soul’s movement toward Shiva (Pati) by stabilizing conduct and devotion.

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

By praising a powerful, perceivable form (bull-form), the text affirms Saguna worship as a valid doorway to the transcendent Shiva: devotees approach the formless reality through sanctified forms, just as the Linga serves as a focal support (ālambana) for meditation and bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Shiva’s protective, dharma-bearing aspect while offering devotion with purity—recite the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and perform simple Linga-upachara (water, bilva) with a steady mind, cultivating the bull-like qualities of firmness and restraint.