Shloka 51

शिवध्यानपूजनवर्णनम्

Description of Śiva Meditation and Worship

Devanagari script

पञ्चवक्त्रन्दशभुजञ्चन्द्रखण्डशिखामणिम् । अस्य पूर्वमुखं सौम्यं बालार्कसदृशप्रभम्

Transliteration

pañcavaktrandaśabhujañcandrakhaṇḍaśikhāmaṇim | asya pūrvamukhaṃ saumyaṃ bālārkasadṛśaprabham

Translation

He is five-faced and ten-armed, adorned with the crest-jewel of the crescent moon. Of these faces, His eastern face is gentle and auspicious, shining with the radiance of the newly risen sun—revealing for the devotee’s contemplation the compassionate, manifest (saguṇa) form of Śiva.

Word by Word

• pañcavaktram: five-faced
• pañcavaktram: Karma-visheshana (Object modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca-vaktra (पञ्चवक्त्र)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• daśabhujam: ten-armed
• daśabhujam: Karma-visheshana (Object modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa-bhuja (दशभुज)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• candrakhaṇḍaśikhāmaṇim: having the moon-fragment as a crest-jewel
• candrakhaṇḍaśikhāmaṇim: Karma-visheshana (Object modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: candra-khaṇḍa-śikhā-maṇi (चन्द्रखण्डशिखामणि)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• asya: his
• asya: Sambandha (Possessive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• pūrvamukham: eastern face
• pūrvamukham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva-mukha (पूर्वमुख)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• saumyam: gentle
• saumyam: Karma-visheshana (Object modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumya (सौम्य)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• bālārkasadṛśaprabham: having luster like the rising sun
• bālārkasadṛśaprabham: Karma-visheshana (Object modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla-arka-sadṛśa-prabha (बालार्कसदृशप्रभ)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kailasa discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Śiva’s compassionate, worship-accessible (saguṇa) form—five-faced, ten-armed, and moon-crested—so the mind can rest on a sacred icon in dhyāna, leading the devotee toward grace (anugraha) and liberation.

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

While the Liṅga points to Śiva beyond form (nirguṇa), this description supports saguṇa-upāsanā: visualizing specific divine attributes (faces, radiance, crescent moon) to stabilize devotion and concentration, which then matures into realization of Śiva’s transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Śiva-dhyāna by contemplating the gentle eastern face shining like the rising sun, alongside japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” ideally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and rudrākṣa as supports for daily sādhana.