Shloka 48

द्विजेश्वरावतारः

The Manifestation of Shiva as Dvijeśvara

Devanagari script

मृणालगौरं गजचर्मवाससं गंगातरङ्गोक्षितमौलिदेशकम् । नागेन्द्रहारावलिकण्ठभूषणं किरीटकाच्यंगदकंकणोज्ज्वलम्

Transliteration

mṛṇālagauraṃ gajacarmavāsasaṃ gaṃgātaraṅgokṣitamaulideśakam | nāgendrahārāvalikaṇṭhabhūṣaṇaṃ kirīṭakācyaṃgadakaṃkaṇojjvalam

Translation

He is fair as a lotus-stalk, clad in an elephant-hide, with the region of His matted crown sprinkled by the waves of the Gaṅgā. His neck is adorned with a garland of the serpent-king, and He shines with a diadem, armlets, and bracelets—revealing Śiva’s supremely auspicious saguṇa form for the devotee’s contemplation.

Word by Word

• मृणाल: lotus-stalk
• मृणाल: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृणाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• गौरम्: fair/white
• गौरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासान्त पद

• मृणालगौरम्: white like a lotus-stalk
• मृणालगौरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृणाल + गौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (mṛṇāla-iva gauraḥ)

• गज: elephant
• गज: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• चर्म: skin/hide
• चर्म: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• वाससम्: garment
• वाससम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासान्त पद

• गजचर्मवाससम्: wearing an elephant-hide garment
• गजचर्मवाससम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज + चर्म + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (as adjective to Śiva), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (gajasya carma vāsas yasya)

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• तरङ्ग: waves
• तरङ्ग: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन/एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप; ‘by waves’)

• उक्षित: sprinkled
• उक्षित: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उक्ष् (धातु) → उक्षित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past participle), समासपूर्वपद; ‘sprinkled/washed’

• मौलि: crown/head
• मौलि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• देशकम्: region/part (of the head)
• देशकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासान्त पद

• गङ्गातरङ्गोक्षितमौलिदेशकम्: whose head is sprinkled by the waves of Gaṅgā
• गङ्गातरङ्गोक्षितमौलिदेशकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा + तरङ्ग + उक्षित + मौलि + देशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (as adjective), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (whose head-region is sprinkled by Gaṅgā’s waves)

• नागेन्द्र: king of serpents
• नागेन्द्र: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (nāgānām indraḥ)

• हार: garland/necklace
• हार: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• आवलि: row/series
• आवलि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• कण्ठ: neck
• कण्ठ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• भूषणम्: ornament
• भूषणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासान्त पद

• नागेन्द्रहारावलिकण्ठभूषणम्: whose neck is adorned with rows of serpent-king garlands
• नागेन्द्रहारावलिकण्ठभूषणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नागेन्द्र + हार + आवलि + कण्ठ + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (as adjective), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (neck-ornament consisting of a series of serpent-king garlands)

• किरीट: crown
• किरीट: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरीट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप; ‘with a crown’)

• काच्य: crystal-like/glassy
• काच्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काच्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; ‘made of glass/crystal’ (qualifier)

• अङ्गद: armlets
• अङ्गद: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन/एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• कङ्कण: bracelets
• कङ्कण: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कङ्कण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन/एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• उज्ज्वलम्: shining
• उज्ज्वलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• किरीटकाच्यङ्गदकङ्कणोज्ज्वलम्: shining with crown, armlets and bracelets
• किरीटकाच्यङ्गदकङ्कणोज्ज्वलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किरीट + काच्य + अङ्गद + कङ्कण + उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (as adjective), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (shining with crown, crystal(-like), armlets and bracelets)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganga
• Naga (serpent-king)

FAQs

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

The verse presents Śiva’s saguna, auspicious icon for dhyāna: His purity (lotus-stalk radiance), mastery over ego and brute force (elephant-hide), and grace that sanctifies the world (Gaṅgā in His matted hair), guiding the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati) through devoted contemplation.

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

It supports saguna-upāsanā by giving a precise meditative form of Śiva; such contemplation naturally culminates in Liṅga-worship, where the same Śiva is adored as the all-pervading reality, approached through a concrete sacred symbol and daily pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dhyāna by visualizing Śiva as described while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”; in pūjā, offer water as Gaṅgā-jala, and (where traditional) apply tripuṇḍra bhasma as a reminder of Śiva’s purifying grace.