Shloka 4

Daśa-Śivāvatāra-Nirūpaṇa

Enumeration of Ten Prime Manifestations of Śiva with Their Śaktis

Devanagari script

भुवनेशो हि बालाह्वस्तृतीयः परिकीर्तितः । भुवनेशी शिवा तत्र बालाह्वा सुखदा सताम्

Transliteration

bhuvaneśo hi bālāhvastṛtīyaḥ parikīrtitaḥ | bhuvaneśī śivā tatra bālāhvā sukhadā satām

Translation

The third manifestation is proclaimed as Bhuvaneśa, also known as Bāla. In that very form, Śivā is Bhuvaneśī, called Bālā, bestowing happiness upon the virtuous.

Word by Word

• bhuvaneśaḥ: Lord of the worlds (Bhuvaneśa)
• bhuvaneśaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuvana-īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (भुवनानाम् ईशः) — Nominative singular, masculine

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• bālāhvāḥ: called Bāla
• bālāhvāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla-āhvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (बाल इति आह्वा/आह्वयः) — Nominative singular, masculine; 'named Bāla'

• tṛtīyaḥ: third
• tṛtīyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण — Nominative singular, masculine

• parikīrtitaḥ: is proclaimed
• parikīrtitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√kīrt (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि — 'is proclaimed/declared'

• bhuvaneśī: Lady of the worlds (Bhuvaneśī)
• bhuvaneśī: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuvana-īśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास — Nominative singular, feminine

• śivā: Śivā
• śivā: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular, feminine

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• bālāhvā: (she) named Bāla
• bālāhvā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla-āhvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास — Nominative singular, feminine; 'named Bāla'

• sukha-dā: giver of happiness
• sukha-dā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + dā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सुखं ददाति) — Nominative singular, feminine

• satām: of the virtuous
• satām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (कृदन्त; √as अस्, शतृ/सत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Genitive plural, 'of the good'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Bālā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It affirms the Śaiva Siddhānta vision that Śiva manifests in gracious, knowable forms for devotees, and that Śakti (Śivā/Bhuvaneśī) is inseparable from Him—together they confer auspiciousness and inner bliss upon the righteous.

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

By naming a specific form—Bhuvaneśa (Bāla)—the verse supports Saguna worship: devotees may approach Śiva through a chosen form or through the Liṅga as His accessible emblem, while honoring Śivā as the same divine power present in worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is paired worship of Śiva-Śakti: perform Liṅga-pūjā with bilva leaves, vibhūti (tripuṇḍra), and japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” dedicating the fruits for purity and sukha (peaceful well-being) for the sādhaka.