Shloka 6

नन्दिकेश्वरावताराभिषेकविवाहवर्णनम्

Nandikeśvara: Incarnation, Consecration, and Marriage—Description

Devanagari script

स एवमुक्तो देवेन शिरसा पादयोर्नतः । अस्तवं परमेशानं जराशोकविनाशनम्

Transliteration

sa evamukto devena śirasā pādayornataḥ | astavaṃ parameśānaṃ jarāśokavināśanam

Translation

Thus addressed by the Lord, he bowed with his head at His feet and praised Parameśāna, the Supreme Lord, the destroyer of old age and sorrow.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb: thus)

• उक्तः: having been spoken to
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि 'having been addressed/said to'

• देवेन: by the god
• देवेन: Kartr (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पादयोः: of (his) feet
• पादयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; (also locative dual possible, but here genitive with नतः)

• नतः: bowed
• नतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √नम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'bowed'

• अस्तवम्: praised
• अस्तवम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ + √स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• परमेशानम्: the Supreme Lord
• परमेशानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—परमः ईशानः

• जराशोकविनाशनम्: destroyer of old age and sorrow
• जराशोकविनाशनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जरा + शोक + विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—जरायाः शोकस्य च विनाशनम् (destroyer of old age and sorrow) (qualifying परमेशानम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The act of śirasā pādayor-nati (bowing at the feet) is a paradigmatic bhakti-lakṣaṇa; ‘jarā-śoka-vināśana’ frames Śiva as the ultimate refuge beyond saṃsāric decay—core motivation for pilgrimage and worship.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches śaraṇāgati (surrender): bowing at Śiva’s feet and praising Him is presented as a direct path to the removal of śoka (grief) and the transcendence of jara (the decay of embodied life), pointing toward Śiva’s grace as the liberating power (Pati) in Shaiva Siddhanta.

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

Though the Linga is not named here, the act of falling at the Lord’s feet and offering stuti (praise) is a core mode of Saguna worship—approaching Śiva as the personal Parameśāna who responds to devotion through anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is stotra-pāṭha with namaskāra: begin worship by prostration (pañcāṅga/ṣaṣṭāṅga namaskāra as able) and recite hymns to Śiva, ideally alongside japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” seeking freedom from grief and inner affliction.