Shloka 28
शिवस्यार्द्धनारीनरावतारवर्णनम्
Description of Shiva’s Ardhanārī-nara Manifestation
दत्त्वैवमतुलां शक्तिं ब्रह्मणो सा शिवा मुने । विवेश देहं शंभोर्हि शंभुश्चान्तर्दधे प्रभुः
dattvaivamatulāṃ śaktiṃ brahmaṇo sā śivā mune | viveśa dehaṃ śaṃbhorhi śaṃbhuścāntardadhe prabhuḥ
O sage, having thus bestowed upon Brahmā an incomparable power, that Goddess Śivā entered into Śambhu’s body; and the Lord Śambhu, the Supreme Master, became unmanifest (disappeared from view).
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse frames cosmic creation through Śiva’s Śakti empowering Brahmā and then re-entering Śiva, indicating that sṛṣṭi proceeds only when Śakti is ‘released’ toward the creator-function.
Significance: General Śākta-Śaiva teaching: honoring Śiva-Śakti unity is said to remove creative/householder obstacles and align one’s life with dharma and auspicious progeny.
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: creative
Cosmic Event: Cosmic sṛṣṭi-setting: Śakti is delegated to Brahmā; Śambhu becomes antardhāna (hidden), signaling tirodhāna-like withdrawal after empowering creation.
FAQs
It highlights the inseparability of Śiva (Pati, the Lord) and Śakti (His conscious power). Divine action and cosmic governance proceed through Śakti, while Śiva remains the supreme, transcendent master who can withdraw into unmanifestness.
The verse points to Saguna expression—Śiva’s manifest presence and power—operating through Śakti, while also affirming Śiva’s capacity to become hidden (Nirguna/avyakta). Linga worship holds both truths together: the formless Absolute indicated by the Linga and the manifest grace-power by which devotees are uplifted.
A practical takeaway is to meditate on the unity of Śiva–Śakti while chanting the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), contemplating that divine power (śakti) is Śiva’s grace in action and that the Lord can be realized beyond mere outer visibility.