Shloka 52

Vaiśyanātha-avatāra-kathā

The Account of Śiva’s Manifestation as Vaiśyanātha

Devanagari script

सा तं विलोक्याखिलदेवदेवन्त्रिलोचनं चन्द्रकलावतंसम् । शशांकसूर्यानलकोटिभासं स्तब्धेव भीतेव तथैव तस्थौ

Transliteration

sā taṃ vilokyākhiladevadevantrilocanaṃ candrakalāvataṃsam | śaśāṃkasūryānalakoṭibhāsaṃ stabdheva bhīteva tathaiva tasthau

Translation

Seeing Him—the Lord of all the gods, the Three-eyed One, adorned with the crescent moon—radiant like countless moons, suns, and fires, she stood there just as she was, motionless as if stunned, and trembling as if afraid.

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विलोक्य: having seen
• विलोक्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (ल्यप्/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• अखिल-देव-देवम्: the God of all gods
• अखिल-देव-देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—अखिलानां देवानां देवः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• त्रि-लोचनम्: three-eyed
• त्रि-लोचनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—त्रीणि लोचनानि यस्य

• चन्द्र-कला-अवतंसम्: wearing the moon’s crescent as an ornament
• चन्द्र-कला-अवतंसम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कला (प्रातिपदिक) + अवतंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—चन्द्रस्य कला अवतंसः यस्य (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; अवतंस=ornament)

• शशांक-सूर्य-अनल-कोटि-भासम्: radiant like ten million moons, suns, and fires
• शशांक-सूर्य-अनल-कोटि-भासम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शशाङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + भास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—शशाङ्कसूर्यानलानां कोट्या भासः यस्य (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; अतिशयोक्त्यर्थ)

• स्तब्धा: stunned
• स्तब्धा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) ‘स्तब्ध’, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमान-प्रयोगे

• इव: as if
• इव: Upama (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (comparative particle)

• भीता: afraid
• भीता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) ‘भीत’, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमान-प्रयोगे

• इव: as if
• इव: Upama (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in that manner)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphasis: just/indeed)

• तस्थौ: stood
• तस्थौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse portrays the soul’s first encounter with Śiva’s overwhelming tejas (divine radiance): the limited ego becomes still—both stunned and humbled—before the Pati (Lord) who surpasses all devas. In Shaiva Siddhanta, such awe is the beginning of grace (anugraha), where fear turns into reverent surrender.

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

It highlights Saguna Śiva—recognizable by the three eyes and crescent moon—yet blazing with a light beyond ordinary perception. Linga-worship trains the devotee to perceive this same Supreme Reality: the formless (Nirguna) indicated through a sacred form (Saguna) that draws the mind into devotion and steadiness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice steady darśana-bhāva: meditate on Śiva as Trinetra with the crescent moon while mentally repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya). Let the mind become “still” (stabdha) in reverence—supporting japa, vibhuti (Tripundra) remembrance, and inner surrender.