Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

तत्रापि मम चत्वारो भविष्यन्ति सुता युगे । सारस्वतश्च योगीशो मेघवाहः सुवाहनः

Transliteration

tatrāpi mama catvāro bhaviṣyanti sutā yuge | sārasvataśca yogīśo meghavāhaḥ suvāhanaḥ

Translation

There too, in that age, I shall have four sons: Sārasvata, Yogīśa, Meghavāha, and Suvāhana.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अप्यर्थ/समुच्चय/अतिशय

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• भविष्यन्ति: will be
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• सुताः: sons
• सुताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• युगे: in (that) age
• युगे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सारस्वतः: Sārasvata (name)
• सारस्वतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारस्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• योगीशः: Lord of yogis (name/title)
• योगीशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—योगिनाम् ईशः

• मेघवाहः: Meghavāha (cloud-bearer; name)
• मेघवाहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—मेघं वहति (cloud-bearer)

• सुवाहनः: Suvāhana (good-vehicle; name)
• सुवाहनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—सु (शोभनम्) + वाहनः

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The naming of ‘sons’ functions as a mythic mapping of Śiva’s emanational retinue/lineage across yugas, supporting the idea that sacred orders and teachings persist through time.

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: yuga framing (time-cycle marker)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sarasvata
• Yogisha
• Meghavaha
• Suvahana

FAQs

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

It highlights Shiva’s compassionate Saguna activity in time (yuga)—manifesting specific forms and lineages to uphold dharma and guide beings toward liberation, while remaining the transcendent Pati beyond all change.

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

By naming Shiva’s manifested sons/forms, the text supports Saguna upāsanā—devotion to Shiva with attributes and names—while Linga worship remains the universal symbol of the same Shiva beyond form, accessible in every age.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is nāma-smaraṇa (recollection of Shiva’s names) alongside Panchākṣarī japa—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—contemplating that Shiva appears in many modes to uplift devotees in each yuga.