Shloka 34

भैरवावतारवर्णनम् (Bhairavāvatāra-varṇanam) — “Description of the Descent/Manifestation of Bhairava”

Devanagari script

प्रणव उवाच । न हीशो भगवाञ्छक्त्या ह्यात्मनो व्यतिरिक्तया । कदाचिद्रमते रुद्रो लीलारूपधरो हरः

Transliteration

praṇava uvāca | na hīśo bhagavāñchaktyā hyātmano vyatiriktayā | kadācidramate rudro līlārūpadharo haraḥ

Translation

Praṇava said: The Lord, Bhagavān Īśa, never engages with any power separate from His own Self. At times, Rudra—Hara, who assumes forms for divine līlā—sports by His own inherent Śakti.

Word by Word

प्रणवःPraṇava

उवाचsaid

नnot

हिindeed

ईशःthe Lord

भगवान्the Blessed One

शक्त्याby/with power (Śakti)

हिindeed

आत्मनःof himself

व्यतिरिक्तयाseparate (from him)

कदाचित्ever/at any time

रमतेsports/delights

रुद्रःRudra

लीला-रूप-धरःbearing a playful form

हरःHara (Śiva)

Speaker

Praṇava

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva (Pati) is never dependent on an external power—His Śakti is inseparable from Him, and all divine manifestations occur as His own līlā, guiding souls toward liberation.

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

Lingārcana and Saguna worship honor the Lord who freely assumes approachable forms (līlā-rūpas) without losing His transcendence; the verse affirms that these forms arise from His own inherent Śakti, not from anything outside Him.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as Īśa united with Śakti while reciting the Praṇava (Oṁ) and/or the Pañcākṣarī “Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating that all forms of Rudra are expressions of the one Lord’s līlā.