Shloka 27

अवंतीस्थ-ब्राह्मणकथा तथा तृतीय-ज्योतिर्लिङ्गोपाख्यान-प्रस्तावना

Avanti Brahmin Narrative and Prelude to the Third Jyotirliṅga

Devanagari script

धैर्यं समाश्रितास्ते च रेखामात्रं तदा द्विजाः । न चेलुः परमध्यानाद्वराकाः के शिवाग्रतः

Transliteration

dhairyaṃ samāśritāste ca rekhāmātraṃ tadā dvijāḥ | na celuḥ paramadhyānādvarākāḥ ke śivāgrataḥ

Translation

Then those brāhmaṇa sages, taking refuge in steadfast courage, became as if mere lines—motionless. Poor souls, absorbed in the highest meditation, they did not stir at all before Śiva’s very presence.

Word by Word

• धैर्यम्: steadfastness, courage
• धैर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; abstract noun

• समाश्रिताः: having taken refuge in / having adopted
• समाश्रिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु) → समाश्रित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘having resorted to/embraced’

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• रेखामात्रम्: only a line; mere trace
• रेखामात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेखा (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विशेषण-विशेष्यभाव: ‘रेखाया मात्रम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• द्विजाः: Brahmins; twice-born
• द्विजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• चेलुः: they moved / they stirred
• चेलुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• परमध्यानात्: from deep meditation
• परमध्यानात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘परमं ध्यानम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• वराकाः: wretches, poor fellows
• वराकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; often pejorative/compassionate

• के: who (indeed)?
• के: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; interrogative pronoun (used rhetorically)

• शिवाग्रतः: in front of Śiva
• शिवाग्रतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्रतस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (‘शिवस्य अग्रतः’); अव्यय, स्थानवाचक (locative sense)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights the power of paramadhyāna—when the mind is fully steadied in Śiva, even the body becomes motionless, reflecting surrender (śaraṇāgati) and one-pointed absorption in the Supreme Lord (Pati).

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

The verse depicts devotees facing Śiva directly; in Kotirudrasaṁhitā this devotion commonly culminates in darśana of Saguna Śiva and the Jyotirliṅga principle—Śiva as accessible Presence that draws the mind into stillness and reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

One-pointed dhyāna with dhairya (steadfastness): sit steadily, restrain movement, and contemplate Śiva while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as a practical support for sustained meditation.