Shloka 27

Devanagari script

क्षीणमध्यश्चारुदन्तः प्रमत्तगजगंधनः । प्रफुल्लपद्मपत्राक्षः केसरघ्राणतर्पणः

Transliteration

kṣīṇamadhyaścārudantaḥ pramattagajagaṃdhanaḥ | praphullapadmapatrākṣaḥ kesaraghrāṇatarpaṇaḥ

Translation

He is slender-waisted and bears beautiful tusks; He is like the fragrance of an intoxicated elephant. His eyes are like the petals of a fully blossomed lotus, and He delights in the scent of kesar (saffron).

Word by Word

• क्षीण-मध्यः: slender-waisted
• क्षीण-मध्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीण (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (क्षीणं मध्यं यस्य)

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

• चारु-दन्तः: having beautiful teeth
• चारु-दन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु (प्रातिपदिक) + दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः

• प्रमत्त-गज-गन्धनः: having the scent of an intoxicated elephant
• प्रमत्त-गज-गन्धनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रमत्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + गज (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रमत्तस्य गजस्य गन्धनः = गन्ध-युक्तः/गन्ध-समः)

• प्रफुल्ल-पद्म-पत्र-अक्षः: lotus-petal-eyed (like a blooming lotus)
• प्रफुल्ल-पद्म-पत्र-अक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रफुल्ल (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि/अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रफुल्लपद्मस्य पत्रम् इव अक्षी)

• केसर-घ्राण-तर्पणः: delighting the nose with fragrance (like saffron/pollen)
• केसर-घ्राण-तर्पणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केसर (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (केसरस्य घ्राणेन तर्पणः / घ्राणं तर्पयति इति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Rudra Samhita’s Sati Khanda context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse supports saguna-upāsanā: contemplating Shiva’s auspicious, beautiful attributes steadies the mind and ripens devotion, which in Shaiva Siddhanta becomes a means for grace (anugraha) and inner purification.

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

While the Linga is the primary emblem of Shiva, such descriptive verses guide devotees to meditate on Shiva’s gracious, perceptible form (saguna) alongside Linga worship—uniting inner contemplation with outer reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use dhyāna (form-meditation): visualize lotus-petal eyes and auspicious beauty while chanting the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” optionally offering fragrant substances (like saffron or sandal) as a bhakti-upacāra.