Shloka 20

शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Pañcabrahma Avatāras

Devanagari script

जपित्वा तु महादेवीं सर्वलोकनमस्कृताम् । प्रसन्नस्तु महादेवो ध्यानयुक्तेन चेतसा

Transliteration

japitvā tu mahādevīṃ sarvalokanamaskṛtām | prasannastu mahādevo dhyānayuktena cetasā

Translation

Having performed japa to Mahādevī—revered and bowed to by all the worlds—Mahādeva became gracious, his mind absorbed in meditation.

Word by Word

• जपित्वा: having recited
• जपित्वा: Kriya-viseshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तः (Absolutive/Gerund), ‘having recited/muttered’

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (particle), विरोध/अनुक्रम-सूचकः

• महादेवीम्: the Great Goddess
• महादेवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सर्व-लोक-नमस्कृताम्: worshipped by all worlds
• सर्व-लोक-नमस्कृताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + नमस्कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √कृ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः; स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (महादेवीम् इति)

• प्रसन्नः: pleased
• प्रसन्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (महादेवः इति)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (particle)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• ध्यान-युक्तेन: with meditation-attuned
• ध्यान-युक्तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √युज्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः; नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (चेतसा इति)

• चेतसा: with (his) mind
• चेतसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Affirms that upāsanā of Mahādevī and meditative japa culminate in Mahādeva’s prasāda—paradigm for devotees seeking removal of pāśa (bondage) through grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Grace-response dynamic: sustained japa and dhyāna results in īśvara-prasāda (anugraha) within cosmogonic narrative.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that grace (prasāda) arises when devotion is steady: japa offered with a meditative, inwardly collected mind pleases Mahādeva, showing the Shaiva Siddhānta emphasis on bhakti supported by dhyāna.

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

Japa and meditation are core to Saguna worship—whether before the Śiva-liṅga or in mental worship—where the devotee’s focused consciousness invites Mahādeva’s compassionate response and blessing.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa performed with dhyāna (one-pointed attention). In Shiva Purana practice this commonly aligns with pañcākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") alongside calm seated meditation.