Shloka 5

शिवलोकप्रवेशः

Entry into Śivaloka through successive gateways

Devanagari script

पञ्चवक्त्रत्रिनयनान्गौरसुन्दरविग्रहान् । त्रिशूलादिधरान्वीरान्भस्मरुद्राक्षशोभितान्

Transliteration

pañcavaktratrinayanāngaurasundaravigrahān | triśūlādidharānvīrānbhasmarudrākṣaśobhitān

Translation

He beheld heroic beings with five faces and three eyes, whose forms were radiant and beautiful—bearing tridents and other weapons, and resplendent with sacred ash (bhasma) and rudrākṣa beads.

Word by Word

• पञ्चवक्त्रत्रिनयनान्: (those) with five faces and three eyes
• पञ्चवक्त्रत्रिनयनान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + नयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; विशेषण (having five faces and three eyes)

• गौरसुन्दरविग्रहान्: having fair, beautiful bodies
• गौरसुन्दरविग्रहान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गौर (प्रातिपदिक) + सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक) + विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (having a fair and beautiful form)

• त्रिशूलादिधरान्: bearing tridents and other weapons
• त्रिशूलादिधरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिशूल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (bearing trident etc.)

• वीरान्: heroes
• वीरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भस्मरुद्राक्षशोभितान्: adorned with ash and rudrākṣa beads
• भस्मरुद्राक्षशोभितान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्म (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभित (कृदन्त; √शुभ्/शोभ्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) विशेषण—‘adorned with ash and rudrākṣa beads’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse portrays Shiva’s śaiva attendants as marked by the emblems of Pati—five faces, three eyes, trident, bhasma, and rudrākṣa—signifying divine vigilance, mastery over the three guṇas, and the purifying discipline that leads the soul (paśu) toward Shiva’s grace.

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

These are Saguna identifiers of Shiva’s presence—pañcavaktra and trinayana iconography, along with trishula—supporting devotional contemplation (upāsanā) that culminates in reverence for the Liṅga as the supreme sign of Shiva beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to Shaiva sādhana through bhasma (vibhūti/Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa—external marks of inner renunciation—used with mantra-japa (especially Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady remembrance of Shiva’s protective, purifying power.