Shloka 16

वीरभद्र-भैरव-आह्वानम् — Invocation of Vīrabhadra/Bhairava for Cosmic Reabsorption

Devanagari script

ततस्तम्बोधयामास वीरभद्रो हरो हरिम् । उवाच वाक्यमीशानः पितापुत्रमिवौरसम्

Transliteration

tatastambodhayāmāsa vīrabhadro haro harim | uvāca vākyamīśānaḥ pitāputramivaurasam

Translation

Then Vīrabhadra—Hara himself—roused Hari (Viṣṇu) from his stunned state. Thereupon the Lord Īśāna spoke to him, as a father speaks to his own true-born son.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Desha-Kala (देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रमवाचक — indeclinable ‘then’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — masculine accusative singular

• बोधयामास: awakened / informed
• बोधयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः (बोधय-) — Perfect, 3rd person singular, causative

• वीरभद्रः: Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — masculine nominative singular

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — masculine nominative singular (apposition)

• हरिम्: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — masculine accusative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम् — Perfect, 3rd person singular, active

• वाक्यम्: words / a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — neuter accusative singular

• ईशानः: Īśāna (the Lord)
• ईशानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — masculine nominative singular

• पिता: a father
• पिता: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — masculine nominative singular

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Upameya (उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — masculine accusative singular

• इव: like
• इव: Upama (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्ययम् — particle of comparison

• औरसम्: own-born, legitimate
• औरसम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: औरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — masculine accusative singular (qualifying ‘पुत्रम्’)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Īśāna/Hara) (narratively introduced after Vīrabhadra rouses Viṣṇu)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Shiva
• Vishnu (Hari)

FAQs

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

It portrays Śiva as Īśāna (the supreme Pati) who compassionately corrects and guides even great deities; Vīrabhadra’s act of rousing Hari symbolizes the soul being awakened from delusion into right understanding under Śiva’s grace.

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

Vīrabhadra is a Saguna manifestation of Śiva’s will and power; the verse supports Saguna worship by showing that Śiva’s manifested forms act in the world to restore dharma and impart instruction—just as the Liṅga is a worshipful, accessible sign of the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is “awakening” (bodhana) through Śiva-smaraṇa: steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined devotion (often supported in Purāṇic practice by bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa) to come out of spiritual stupor into clarity.