Shloka 28

शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Pañcabrahma Avatāras

Devanagari script

अथास्य पार्श्वतः कृष्णाः कृष्णस्नानानुलेपनाः । चत्वारस्तु महात्मानः संबभूवुः कुमारकाः

Transliteration

athāsya pārśvataḥ kṛṣṇāḥ kṛṣṇasnānānulepanāḥ | catvārastu mahātmānaḥ saṃbabhūvuḥ kumārakāḥ

Translation

Then, at his sides, there appeared four great-souled youthful beings—dark-hued, with dark bathing and anointing—manifesting as attendant forms in the presence of Rudra.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (sequencing particle: ‘then/now’)

• अस्य: of him/his
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter by reference); सर्वनाम

• पार्श्वतः: at/from the side
• पार्श्वतः: देशाधिकरण (Spatial locator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘from/at the side of’)

• कृष्णाः: dark/black
• कृष्णाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषण (qualifier of कुमारकाः)

• कृष्ण-स्नान-अनुलेपनाः: having black bath-and-anointing (darkly smeared/washed)
• कृष्ण-स्नान-अनुलेपनाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative: ‘bath and anointing’), ततः कर्मधारय-भावः ‘black bath-and-anointing (having)’; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषण

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); संख्याविशेषण

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक-निपात (emphatic/contrastive particle)

• महात्मानः: great-souled ones
• महात्मानः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषणवत् (appositional epithet)

• संबभूवुः: came into being/arose
• संबभूवुः: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपदम् (Parasmaipada)

• कुमारकाः: young boys/sons
• कुमारकाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It highlights Rudra’s sovereign power to manifest attendant beings instantaneously, showing that the Lord’s forms and retinues arise from His will (icchā-śakti) and serve His cosmic purpose.

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

The verse supports Saguna Shiva devotion by portraying concrete manifestations around Rudra; such descriptions steady the devotee’s mind, making worship (including Linga-pūjā) more intimate and focused.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Rudra surrounded by divine attendants while repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), visualizing protective forms arising at the Lord’s sides to remove obstacles and stabilize devotion.