Shloka 5

शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Pañcabrahma Avatāras

Devanagari script

एकोनविंशकः कल्पो विज्ञेयः श्वेत लोहितः । सद्योजातावतारस्तु प्रथमः परिकीर्तितः

Transliteration

ekonaviṃśakaḥ kalpo vijñeyaḥ śveta lohitaḥ | sadyojātāvatārastu prathamaḥ parikīrtitaḥ

Translation

Know that the nineteenth Kalpa is called Śveta-Lohita. In that cycle, the first manifestation (avatāra) proclaimed is Sadyojāta—Śiva’s immediate, auspicious emergence to order the worlds and bestow grace.

Word by Word

• एकोनविंशकः: nineteenth
• एकोनविंशकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक-ऊन-विṃशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यासमासः (द्विगु): एक + ऊन + विंशक (=19th)

• कल्पः: kalpa
• कल्पः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विज्ञेयः: to be known
• विज्ञेयः: Vidhi (विधेय/प्रवृत्तिनिमित्त)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थः—'should be known'

• श्वेतः: white
• श्वेतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• लोहितः: red
• लोहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नामरूपेण कल्पस्य)

• सद्योजातावतारः: the Sadyojāta incarnation
• सद्योजातावतारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद्योजात + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः सद्योजातस्य अवतारः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• प्रथमः: first
• प्रथमः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• परिकीर्तितः: is proclaimed/declared
• परिकीर्तितः: Kriya (क्रियाविशेष/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्गः परि-

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Kalpa-naming (Śveta-Lohita) and the first avatāra (Sadyojāta) are cosmological cataloguing, not a local shrine legend. ‘Śveta–Lohita’ evokes the white-red polarity often read as śiva-śakti or sattva-rajas coloration in cosmic manifestation.

Significance: Contemplation of Sadyojāta as the ‘first’ manifestation supports sādhana of beginnings: purification, initiation into Śiva-tattva, and orientation toward auspicious creation (dharma).

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Śveta-Lohita kalpa (19th kalpa in the given enumeration)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Sadyojāta)

FAQs

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

It frames time as sacred and cyclic (kalpa) while affirming Śiva as Pati—the ever-present Lord who manifests first as Sadyojāta to guide creation and grant grace, reminding devotees that liberation depends on turning to Śiva across all cycles.

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

By naming Sadyojāta as the first avatāra, the verse supports Saguna worship: devotees approach the formless (Nirguṇa) Śiva through manifest forms and symbols such as the Liṅga, which represents Śiva’s accessible presence within the world.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily remembrance (smaraṇa) of Śiva’s names and forms—especially japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a way to align with Sadyojāta’s auspicious, immediate grace.