Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अर्द्धनारीश्वरं भानुं भानुकोटिशतप्रभम् । यज्ञं यज्ञपतिं रुद्रमीशानं वरदं शिवम्

Transliteration

arddhanārīśvaraṃ bhānuṃ bhānukoṭiśataprabham | yajñaṃ yajñapatiṃ rudramīśānaṃ varadaṃ śivam

Translation

The devotee contemplates Śiva as Ardhanārīśvara; as the Sun whose radiance outshines hundreds of millions of suns; as the very Sacrifice and the Lord of sacrifice; as Rudra, the Supreme Īśāna, the bestower of boons—Śiva, the auspicious Lord.

Word by Word

• अर्द्ध-नारी-ईश्वरम्: Ardhanārīśvara
• अर्द्ध-नारी-ईश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arddha (प्रातिपदिक) + nārī (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष; arddha-nārī-īśvaraḥ), Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• भानुम्: the Sun; radiant one
• भानुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• भानु-कोटि-शत-प्रभम्: having the splendor of millions of suns
• भानु-कोटि-शत-प्रभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhānu (प्रातिपदिक) + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष; comparison/measure), Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• यज्ञम्: sacrifice
• यज्ञम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• यज्ञ-पतिम्: lord of sacrifice
• यज्ञ-पतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष: yajñasya patiḥ), Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• ईशानम्: Īśāna; the Lord
• ईशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• वरदम्: boon-giving
• वरदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective, Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya in the Rudra Saṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Ardhanārīśvara

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara

Sthala Purana: Oṃkāra symbolizes Śiva as the very yajña (sacrifice) and yajñapati (lord of sacrifice); the liṅga at Mandhātā is revered as the sonic-form (praṇava) of the Lord whose radiance is ‘sun-like’ and who grants boons.

Significance: Boons (varada) and purification of ritual intention; harmonizing household life and renunciation through Śiva-Śakti unity.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents a dhyāna (contemplative) vision of Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who is simultaneously immanent in sacred action (yajña) and transcendent as Īśāna. In Shaiva Siddhānta terms, it points to Śiva’s grace as the power that burns impurity (Rudra) and grants auspicious liberation.

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

It supports Saguna-upāsanā by giving divine epithets and forms—Ardhanārīśvara, solar radiance, Rudra, Īśāna—through which the mind can fix on Śiva. Such attributes are commonly invoked while worshipping the Śiva-liṅga, recognizing the liṅga as the accessible sign of the formless Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Śiva-dhyāna: visualize Śiva’s blazing purity like countless suns and recite the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while offering simple yajña-like upacāras (water, flowers, bilva). The emphasis is inward concentration on Īśāna as the giver of grace (varada).