Shloka 13

कामप्रादुर्भावः — The Manifestation/Arising of Kāma

Devanagari script

अभवत्सगुणस्सोपि द्विरूपश्शक्तिमान्प्रभुः । सोमो दिव्याकृतिर्विप्र निर्वि कारी परात्परः

Transliteration

abhavatsaguṇassopi dvirūpaśśaktimānprabhuḥ | somo divyākṛtirvipra nirvi kārī parātparaḥ

Translation

That Lord Soma too became manifest as saguṇa, endowed with attributes. O brāhmaṇa, the powerful Sovereign assumed a twofold form of divine splendor, yet remained nirvikāra—unchanging—the Supreme beyond the supreme.

Word by Word

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular

• सगुणः: with qualities; qualified
• सगुणः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle) — emphatic/additive particle

• द्विरूपः: two-formed; of two aspects
• द्विरूपः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; द्विगु-समास (‘द्वे रूपे यस्य/द्विरूपः’)

• शक्तिमान्: powerful
• शक्तिमान्: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति + मतुप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; possessive adjective (मतुप्)

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सोमः: Soma
• सोमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दिव्य-आकृतिः: of divine form
• दिव्य-आकृतिः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular; कर्मधारय (‘दिव्या आकृतिः’) used as adjective of ‘सोमः’

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• निर्विकारी: unchanging
• निर्विकारी: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + विकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; नञ्/उपसर्ग-तत्पुरुष (‘विकारः न यस्य/विकाररहितः’)

• परात्परः: higher than the highest; transcendent
• परात्परः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परात् + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (‘परात् परः’ = beyond the beyond)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Soma
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Supreme can appear in a manifest, worshipable (saguṇa) way while remaining inwardly unchanged (nirvikāra). For the devotee, this reconciles personal devotion to form with the highest transcendent reality.

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

Like the Liṅga—Shiva’s accessible emblem—this verse affirms that divine manifestation is real for worship and grace, yet does not limit the Supreme. Saguna worship becomes a doorway to realizing Shiva as parātpara.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as both saguṇa (with form for devotion) and nirvikāra (changeless consciousness), supporting japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with steady contemplation of the formless Reality behind the form.