Shloka 7

Bhairavaśāpavṛttāntaḥ

The Episode of Bhairava’s Curse and Consolation

Devanagari script

नारीदृष्ट्या सुदृष्टा सा भैरवेण यदा मुने । कुद्धाऽभवच्छिवा देवी तं शशाप तदांबिका

Transliteration

nārīdṛṣṭyā sudṛṣṭā sā bhairaveṇa yadā mune | kuddhā'bhavacchivā devī taṃ śaśāpa tadāṃbikā

Translation

O sage, when Bhairava looked upon her with a “woman’s gaze”—a fixed, desirous look—the Goddess Śivā, Ambikā, became enraged and then cursed him.

Word by Word

• नारीदृष्ट्या: with a womanly gaze
• नारीदृष्ट्या: Instrument/Mode (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक) + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: नारीणां दृष्टिः = 'womanly gaze'

• सुदृष्टा: was looked at well / was gazed upon
• सुदृष्टा: Predicate/Qualifier (विधेय/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + सु (उपसर्ग) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with सा

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भैरवेण: by Bhairava
• भैरवेण: Karta/Agent in passive (कर्ता-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• यदा: when
• यदा: Temporal (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable temporal adverb (कालवाचक)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• कुद्धा: angry
• कुद्धा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुध्/क्रुध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Feminine, Nominative, Singular; 'angered'

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• शिवा: Śivā
• शिवा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; name/epithet of the Goddess

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• शशाप: cursed
• शशाप: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Temporal (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable temporal adverb

• अम्बिका: Ambikā
• अम्बिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Bhairava
• Ambika

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva principle that even mighty divine powers must align with dharma and inner purity; Shakti (Ambikā) corrects any deviation, showing that spiritual authority requires mastery over desire and conduct.

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

Bhairava is a Saguna manifestation within Shiva’s infinite forms; the episode teaches devotees to approach Saguna Shiva worship—Linga-pūjā, vrata, and japa—with reverence and disciplined senses, not with worldly intent.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is sense-restraint supported by Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), along with sattvic observances such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of detachment and steadfast devotion.