Shloka 51

Vaiśyanātha-avatāra-kathā

The Account of Śiva’s Manifestation as Vaiśyanātha

Devanagari script

तां पतन्तीं समिद्धेग्नौ स्वपदार्पितमानसाम् । वारयामास विश्वात्मा प्रादुर्भूतः स वै शिवः

Transliteration

tāṃ patantīṃ samiddhegnau svapadārpitamānasām | vārayāmāsa viśvātmā prādurbhūtaḥ sa vai śivaḥ

Translation

As she was falling into the blazing, well-kindled fire—her mind wholly offered at His feet—Śiva Himself, the indwelling Soul of the universe, manifested and restrained her.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पतन्तीम्: falling
• पतन्तीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present Active Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समिद्धे: blazing
• समिद्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + इन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) ‘समिद्ध’, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘अग्नौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अग्नौ: in the fire
• अग्नौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्वपद-अर्पित-मानसाम्: whose mind was fixed on her own (true) state/feet
• स्वपद-अर्पित-मानसाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्पित (कृदन्त) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—स्वपदे अर्पितं मानसं यस्याः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषपूर्वकः; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः)

• वारयामास: restrained/stopped
• वारयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वारय् (णिजन्त) ← वृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• विश्वात्मा: the universal Self
• विश्वात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—विश्वः आत्मा (कर्मधारय)

• प्रादुर्भूतः: having manifested
• प्रादुर्भूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रादुस् (अव्यय) + भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) ‘प्रादुर्भूत’, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that when a devotee’s consciousness is fully surrendered at Shiva’s feet, Shiva’s grace actively intervenes—He manifests as the universal Lord (Pati) to protect and uplift the soul (pashu) from suffering and bondage.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Shiva—God with compassionate agency—who ‘appears’ (prādurbhūtaḥ) in response to devotion. In Linga-worship too, the devotee approaches the manifest symbol of Shiva, trusting that the formless Supreme also becomes accessible through a gracious form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is pāda-sevā in inner form: mentally offering oneself at Shiva’s feet while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating surrender (śaraṇāgati) and remembrance as a protective, purifying practice.