Shloka 8

शिवरूपदर्शनम्

Menā’s Vision of Śiva’s Divine Form

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । श्रुत्वा सा तद्वचो मेना विस्मिता शैलकामिनी । ददर्श शिवरूपन्तत्परमानन्ददायकम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | śrutvā sā tadvaco menā vismitā śailakāminī | dadarśa śivarūpantatparamānandadāyakam

Translation

Brahmā said: Hearing those words, Menā—the mountain-lady—was astonished; and then she beheld the form of Śiva, a vision that bestows supreme bliss.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• तत्-वचः: that speech
• तत्-वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (तस्य वचः)

• मेना: Menā
• मेना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• विस्मिता: astonished
• विस्मिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मित (कृदन्त; स्मि धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP)

• शैलकामिनी: the mountain’s beloved (Menā)
• शैलकामिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक) + कामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शैलस्य कामिनी/पत्नी)

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शिवरूपम्: Śiva’s form
• शिवरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य रूपम्)

• तत्-परम-आनन्द-दायकम्: that giver of supreme bliss
• तत्-परम-आनन्द-दायकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + दायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (परमः आनन्दः यस्य/यतः सः दायकः; तत् = that) विशेषण (qualifier of शिवरूपम्)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Mena
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that Śiva’s grace can manifest as direct darśana (vision), which awakens paramānanda—supreme spiritual joy—transforming astonishment into devotion and inner certainty about the Lord’s reality.

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

Menā beholds Śiva’s rūpa (personal, saguna form), showing that Saguna worship is a valid doorway to the same supreme Lord revered as the Liṅga—both are modes through which Śiva grants grace and bliss to the devotee.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate darśana-bhāva through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady contemplation on Śiva’s auspicious form, seeking inner stillness where grace and bliss can be directly experienced.