Shloka 9

शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Pañcabrahma Avatāras

Devanagari script

ततोऽस्य ध्यायतः श्वेताः प्रादुर्भूता यशस्विनः । कुमाराः परविज्ञानपरब्रह्मस्वरूपिणः

Transliteration

tato'sya dhyāyataḥ śvetāḥ prādurbhūtā yaśasvinaḥ | kumārāḥ paravijñānaparabrahmasvarūpiṇaḥ

Translation

Then, as he meditated, illustrious, radiant-white Kumāras manifested. They were of the very nature of supreme knowledge and the Supreme Brahman, ever established in the highest spiritual wisdom.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तस्मात्/ततः = ‘then/from that’ (adverbial)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

• ध्यायतः: while (he) was meditating
• ध्यायतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय), परस्मैपदी; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘while he was meditating’ (genitive absolute sense)

• श्वेताः: white
• श्वेताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रादुर्भूताः: appeared/manifested
• प्रादुर्भूताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रादुर्भू (भू धातु + प्रादुस् उपसर्ग)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘having manifested/appeared’

• यशस्विनः: glorious
• यशस्विनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘renowned/glorious’

• कुमाराः: youths/sons (kumāras)
• कुमाराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• परविज्ञानपरब्रह्मस्वरूपिणः: whose nature is supreme knowledge and supreme Brahman
• परविज्ञानपरब्रह्मस्वरूपिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर-विज्ञान + पर-ब्रह्म + स्वरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: (परविज्ञान)(परब्रह्म)(स्वरूपिन्) = ‘having the nature of supreme knowledge and supreme Brahman’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: emanation of jñāna-pradhāna beings (Kumāras) from meditative absorption—creation as knowledge-manifestation

Characters & Entities

• Kumaras
• Parabrahman

FAQs

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

It presents meditation (dhyāna) as a creative and revelatory power: from deep contemplation arises a manifestation aligned with pure sattva—Kumāras who embody para-vijñāna (highest realized knowledge) leading toward moksha under Shiva’s supreme principle.

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

The verse supports the Shaiva view that Saguna worship (such as Linga-upāsanā) purifies the mind and culminates in dhyāna where the seeker intuits Parabrahman—showing continuity from form-based devotion to formless realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct takeaway is dhyāna on Shiva: steady meditation supported by Shaiva disciplines like japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and inner purity (sattva), which mature into para-vijñāna.