Shloka 56

हंस-वराह-रूपग्रहण-कारणम्

The Reason for Assuming the Swan and Boar Forms

Devanagari script

त्रिमूर्तीनां महेशस्य प्रादुरासीद्घृणानिधिः । आर्द्धनारीश्वरो भूत्वा पूर्णाशस्सकलेश्वरः

Transliteration

trimūrtīnāṃ maheśasya prādurāsīdghṛṇānidhiḥ | ārddhanārīśvaro bhūtvā pūrṇāśassakaleśvaraḥ

Translation

From Maheśa—the Great Lord among the Trimūrti—there manifested the treasure-house of compassion. Becoming Ardhanārīśvara, He appeared as the all-complete Lord, the sovereign of all manifested forms and powers.

Word by Word

• tri-mūrtīnām: of the three forms (Trimūrti)
• tri-mūrtīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu-samāsa (द्विगु) ‘three forms’, Strīliṅga (feminine) (mūrti), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana

• maheśasya: of Maheśa
• maheśasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana

• prādurāsīt: appeared
• prādurāsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prādur (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + √as (धातु √अस्)
• Form: Luṅ-lakāra (Aorist/लुङ्), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; with indeclinable “prādur” = ‘appeared forth’

• ghṛṇā-nidhiḥ: the treasure of compassion
• ghṛṇā-nidhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghṛṇā (प्रातिपदिक) + nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुष) (ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: ‘treasure of compassion’), Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana

• ārddha-nārī-īśvaraḥ: Ardhanārīśvara
• ārddha-nārī-īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārddha (प्रातिपदिक) + nārī (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुष) (karmadhāraya-like: ‘the Lord who is half-woman’), Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; apposition to subject

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु √भू) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), “having become”

• pūrṇa-āśaḥ: fully granting hopes / full of assurance
• pūrṇa-āśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśā/āśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुष) (karmadhāraya: ‘full of hope/fulfilling hopes’), Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; qualifier of subject

• sakala-īśvaraḥ: Lord of all
• sakala-īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुष) (karmadhāraya: ‘lord of all’), Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; apposition to subject

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Ardhanārīśvara

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse is a cosmogonic theophany: Śiva manifests as Ardhanārīśvara, signaling the inseparability of Śiva and Śakti as the ground of emanation; not a specific Jyotirliṅga legend.

Significance: Supports pilgrimage to Śiva-Śakti kṣetras by presenting creation itself as arising from their unity; devotion to Ardhanārīśvara is framed as access to compassion (ghṛṇā-nidhi) and completeness (pūrṇāśa).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmogonic epiphany inaugurating ordered manifestation (sakala)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ardhanarishvara
• Trimurti

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as ghṛṇānidhiḥ—grace itself—who reveals Ardhanārīśvara to show the non-duality and inseparable unity of Śiva (Pati) and Śakti, through whom creation and liberation are both made possible.

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

By calling Him sakaleśvaraḥ, the verse supports Saguna upāsanā: devotees may worship the manifest Lord—such as the Liṅga or Ardhanārīśvara—recognizing these forms as compassionate revelations of the same supreme Maheśa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Ardhanārīśvara while reciting the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), cultivating bhakti and surrender to Śiva’s grace; this aligns with Shaiva practice and supports inner balance of Śiva-Śakti energies.