Shloka 49

शिवध्यानपूजनवर्णनम्

Description of Śiva Meditation and Worship

Devanagari script

शार्दूलचर्मवसनं किंचित्स्मितमुखाम्बुजम् । रक्तपद्मदलप्रख्यपाणिपादतलाधरम्

Transliteration

śārdūlacarmavasanaṃ kiṃcitsmitamukhāmbujam | raktapadmadalaprakhyapāṇipādatalādharam

Translation

He wore a tiger-skin as his garment; his lotus-like face bore a gentle smile. The palms of his hands, the soles of his feet, and his lips gleamed like red lotus petals—radiant with auspicious beauty.

Word by Word

• शार्दूल-चर्म-वसनम्: wearing tiger-skin as garment
• शार्दूल-चर्म-वसनम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + वसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (adjectival use)

• किंचित्: slightly
• किंचित्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अल्पत्ववाचक (particle of slightness)

• स्मित-मुख-अम्बुजम्: lotus-like face with a gentle smile
• स्मित-मुख-अम्बुजम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मित (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः

• रक्त-पद्म-दल-प्रख्य-पाणि-पाद-तल-अधरम्: whose palms, soles, and lips resemble red lotus petals
• रक्त-पद्म-दल-प्रख्य-पाणि-पाद-तल-अधरम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक) + अधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—यस्यानि पाणिपादतलाधराणि रक्तपद्मदलप्रख्यानि सः/तत् (possessive adjectival)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents a dhyāna (contemplative) vision of Saguna Shiva: the tiger-skin signifies mastery over primal nature and fear, while the gentle smile and lotus-red auspicious marks indicate Shiva’s grace that purifies the bound soul (paśu) and leads it toward liberation under the Lord (Pati).

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

While Linga worship points to Shiva’s transcendent reality, this verse supports Saguna-upāsanā by giving a concrete iconography for meditation—helping devotees stabilize devotion and concentration, which then matures into insight into Shiva’s higher, formless truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Shiva-dhyāna: mentally visualize Shiva’s serene lotus-face and auspicious red lotus-like signs while repeating the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” ideally after applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and maintaining a steady, yogic posture.