Shloka 20

ऋषभचरित्रवर्णनम् (Ṛṣabha-caritra-varṇanam) — “Account of Ṛṣabha’s Sacred Narrative”

Devanagari script

पञ्चमे द्वापरे चैव व्यासस्तु सविता स्मृतः । तदा योगी भविष्यामि कंको नाम महातपाः

Transliteration

pañcame dvāpare caiva vyāsastu savitā smṛtaḥ | tadā yogī bhaviṣyāmi kaṃko nāma mahātapāḥ

Translation

In the fifth Dvāpara age, the Vyāsa will be known as Savitā. At that time I shall become a great ascetic yogin, named Kaṅka, endowed with mighty austerities.

Word by Word

• पञ्चमे: in the fifth
• पञ्चमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• द्वापरे: in the Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• सविता: Savitṛ (the Sun)
• सविता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक: सवितृ; रूप: सविता)

• स्मृतः: is known/called
• स्मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (is called/remembered)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• योगी: a yogi
• योगी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भविष्यामि: I shall become
• भविष्यामि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कंकः: Kaṅka (name)
• कंकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामनिर्देशक-अव्यय (indeclinable indicating appellation)

• महातपाः: of great austerity
• महातपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् तपाः)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Āghoramūrti

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Fifth Dvāpara: coordinated appearance of Vyāsa (as Savitā) and Śiva as an ascetic yogin (Kaṅka) to sustain revelation and liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vyasa
• Savitā
• Kaṅka

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva’s compassionate guidance through time: in each yuga, he supports dharma by manifesting an appropriate form—here as a tapasvī-yogin—showing that liberation is accessible through disciplined yoga and austerity offered to Pati (Shiva).

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

By declaring a specific name and role, Shiva indicates Saguna accessibility—devotees can approach him through tangible forms, saints, and disciplined practices, while ultimately those practices lead toward realizing his transcendent (Nirguna) nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The emphasis is on yoga supported by tapas: steady japa of Shiva-mantra (especially the Pañcākṣarī), meditation, and a disciplined ascetic life—often complemented in Shaiva practice by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma), Rudrākṣa, and daily worship.