Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

कपिलश्चासुरिः पञ्चशिखः शाल्वलपूर्वकः । चत्वारो योगिनः पुत्रा भविष्यन्ति समा मम

Transliteration

kapilaścāsuriḥ pañcaśikhaḥ śālvalapūrvakaḥ | catvāro yoginaḥ putrā bhaviṣyanti samā mama

Translation

“Kapila, Āsuri, Pañcaśikha, and Śālvala—these four shall be my sons, yogins equal to me in spiritual attainment.”

Word by Word

• kapilaḥ: Kapila
• kapilaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• āsuriḥ: Āsuri
• āsuriḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsuri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• pañcaśikhaḥ: Pañcaśikha
• pañcaśikhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca + śikha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: pañca + śikha (having five tufts/crests; name)

• śālvala-pūrvakaḥ: with Śālvala as the first
• śālvala-pūrvakaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śālvala + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: śālvala + pūrvaka (with Śālvala as the first/preceded by Śālvala)

• catvāraḥ: four
• catvāraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catvāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• yoginaḥ: yogins
• yoginaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• putrāḥ: sons
• putrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bhaviṣyanti: will be/will become
• bhaviṣyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• samāḥ: equal/alike
• samāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kapila
• Asuri
• Panchashikha
• Shalvala

FAQs

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

The verse presents Shiva (Pati) as the fountainhead of yogic wisdom, declaring that realized yogins will arise from him—symbolizing the transmission of liberating knowledge that leads the bound soul (paśu) beyond bondage (pāśa) toward moksha.

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

By depicting Shiva as the supreme yogin who manifests enlightened beings, the verse supports Saguna Shiva worship (including Linga worship) as a means to receive grace and guidance into yoga and right knowledge, culminating in union with Shiva’s consciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to cultivate yoga under Shiva’s grace—commonly expressed in Shaiva practice through japa of the Panchakshara mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) alongside disciplined meditation and purity, as the path that forms ‘yogins equal in aim’ to the Lord.