Shloka 16

यक्षेश्वरावतारः (Yakṣeśvara-Avatāra) and the Nīlakaṇṭha Paradigm in the Churning of the Ocean

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे तृतीयायां शतरुद्रसंहितायां यक्षेश्वरावतारवर्णनं नाम षोडशोध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe tṛtīyāyāṃ śatarudrasaṃhitāyāṃ yakṣeśvarāvatāravarṇanaṃ nāma ṣoḍaśodhyāyaḥ

Translation

Thus ends the Sixteenth Chapter, titled “The Description of the Yakṣēśvara Incarnation,” in the Third Book of the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa, within the Śatarudra Saṃhitā.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समाप्त्यर्थक/उद्धरणार्थक (thus)

• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (बहुपद-समास; ‘शिवस्य महापुराणम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन

• तृतीयायाम्: in the third (section/book)
• तृतीयायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन; ‘in the third (book)’

• शतरुद्र-संहितायाम्: in the Śatarudra-saṃhitā
• शतरुद्र-संहितायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: शतरुद्रस्य संहिता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन

• यक्षेश्वर-अवतार-वर्णनम्: the description of Yakṣeśvara’s incarnation
• यक्षेश्वर-अवतार-वर्णनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: यक्षेश्वरस्य अवतारस्य वर्णनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक (particle: named/called)

• षोडशः: sixteenth
• षोडशः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; अध्यायस्य विशेषणम्

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Yaksheshvara

FAQs

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

This is a colophon marking the completion of a chapter; spiritually, it signals that the narrated account is preserved as śāstra and to be received with śraddhā (reverent attention) as part of Shiva’s avatāra-līlā in the Śatarudra Saṃhitā.

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

By naming the chapter as an avatāra description, it frames Shiva as Saguna (with attributes and forms) for devotees—supporting devotional remembrance and worship, which in the Purāṇic setting commonly culminates in Linga-oriented reverence and Shiva-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

As a chapter-ending marker, it implies pāṭha (recitation) and śravaṇa (listening) as practices; devotees may conclude the reading with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a brief dhyāna on Shiva’s compassionate manifest form.