Shloka 18

Sunartaka-Naṭa Avatāra and Pārvatī’s Boon-Request (Śiva as the Testing Benefactor)

Devanagari script

शृंगं वामे करे धृत्वा दक्षिणे डमरुन्तथा । पृष्ठे कन्थां रक्तवासा नृत्यगानविशारदः

Transliteration

śṛṃgaṃ vāme kare dhṛtvā dakṣiṇe ḍamaruntathā | pṛṣṭhe kanthāṃ raktavāsā nṛtyagānaviśāradaḥ

Translation

Holding a horn in His left hand and likewise a ḍamaru in His right, with a cloak upon His back and clad in red garments, He was supremely skilled in dance and song.

Word by Word

• शृङ्गम्: a horn
• शृङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वामे: in the left
• वामे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (करे)

• करे: in (his) hand
• करे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• धृत्वा: having held
• धृत्वा: Purvakala-Kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभावः; ‘having held’

• दक्षिणे: in the right
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (करे—अनुक्त)

• डमरुम्: a ḍamaru drum
• डमरुम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डमरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (in that manner/also)

• पृष्ठे: on the back
• पृष्ठे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• कन्थाम्: a patched cloak
• कन्थाम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रक्त-वासा: wearing red garments
• रक्त-वासा: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वासस्/वासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (रक्तं वासो यस्य सः)

• नृत्य-गान-विशारदः: skilled in dance and song
• नृत्य-गान-विशारदः: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गान (प्रातिपदिक) + विशारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नृत्ये गाने च विशारदः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Naṭarāja

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It portrays Saguna Shiva as the divine Lord whose dance and sound (ḍamaru) express His sovereign power to manifest, sustain, and transform the cosmos—guiding the bound soul (paśu) toward grace and liberation under Pati, Shiva.

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

While the Linga points to Shiva’s transcendent (nirguṇa) reality, this verse supports Saguna upāsanā by meditating on His visible marks—drum, attire, and mastery of dance—so the devotee’s mind becomes one-pointed in bhakti and reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the Lord of sacred sound and rhythm while chanting the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”); as an outer support, worship can include Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa to steady remembrance and devotion.