Shloka 58

द्विजेश्वरावतारः

The Manifestation of Shiva as Dvijeśvara

Devanagari script

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य प्रभोर्वाक्यं स भद्रायुर्महीपतिः । पुन प्रणम्य संस्तूय स्वामिनं नतकोऽब्रवीत्

Transliteration

nandīśvara uvāca | ityākarṇya prabhorvākyaṃ sa bhadrāyurmahīpatiḥ | puna praṇamya saṃstūya svāminaṃ natako'bravīt

Translation

Nandīśvara said: Having thus heard the words of the Lord, King Bhadrāyu again bowed down, praised his Master, and—standing with humility—spoke.

Word by Word

• nandīśvaraḥ: Nandīśvara
• nandīśvaraḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nandīśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-sūcaka (वाक्यार्थ-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक निपात (quotative particle)

• ākarṇya: having heard
• ākarṇya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√kṛ/√karṇ? (धातु: √karṇ/कर्ण् ‘to hear’ in usage)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having heard’

• prabhoḥ: of the Lord/master
• prabhoḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• vākyam: statement/words
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhadrāyuḥ: Bhadrāyu (one of auspicious life/name)
• bhadrāyuḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra-āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (bhadra + āyus), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य-नाम (proper epithet/name)

• mahīpatiḥ: king, lord of the earth
• mahīpatiḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī-pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मह्याः पतिः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kāla/Prakāra-viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: again)

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having bowed’

• saṃstūya: having praised
• saṃstūya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-√stu (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having praised’

• svāminam: the master/lord
• svāminam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• natakaḥ: Nataka (proper name)
• natakaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nataka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य-नाम (proper name)

• abravīt: said/spoke
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Nandīśvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Nandīśvara (Nandi)
• Lord Shiva (implied as the Master/Lord)
• King Bhadrāyu

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva Siddhanta ethic of śaraṇāgati (surrender): after receiving the Lord’s instruction, the devotee responds with humility, praise, and obedient speech—signs of grace awakening in the bound soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati).

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

The verse models the proper devotional posture toward Saguna Shiva—the approachable Lord who speaks and guides: hearing (śravaṇa), bowing (namaskāra), praising (stuti), and then addressing the Lord reverently, as one would before the Linga in temple worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is implied: listen to Shiva-kathā or recite Shiva-stuti, then perform namaskāra before Shiva (or the Linga), and speak/pray with humility—ideally alongside japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”