Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

विधिः संभावयेद्यावत्तावत्स त्रिविलोचनः । दृष्टः क्षणेन च महापुरुषो नीललोहितः

Transliteration

vidhiḥ saṃbhāvayedyāvattāvatsa trivilocanaḥ | dṛṣṭaḥ kṣaṇena ca mahāpuruṣo nīlalohitaḥ

Translation

While Brahmā (Vidhi) was still contemplating and trying to discern Him, that Three-eyed Lord was seen in an instant—as the Supreme Person, Nīlalohita, the blue-and-reddish Rudra.

Word by Word

• vidhiḥ: Brahmā (the Ordainer)
• vidhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• saṃbhāvayet: would consider/ponder
• saṃbhāvayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam+√bhū (भू धातु) / causative stem saṃbhāvaya-
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; अर्थः ‘विचारयेत्/सम्भावयेत्’ (would consider/ponder)

• yāvat: as long as
• yāvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्-तावत् सम्बन्धे (as long as/while)

• tāvat: so long / then
• tāvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्-तावत् सम्बन्धे (so long/then)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• trivilocanaḥ: the three-eyed one
• trivilocanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + vilocana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘yasya trīṇi vilocanāni saḥ’

• dṛṣṭaḥ: was seen
• dṛṣṭaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः—‘was seen/appeared (to sight)’

• kṣaṇena: in a moment
• kṣaṇena: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (instrumental; time-within)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• mahā-puruṣaḥ: the great person
• mahā-puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘mahān puruṣaḥ’

• nīla-lohitaḥ: Nīlalohita (blue-red one)
• nīla-lohitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक) + lohita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘nīlaś ca lohitaś ca (varṇaḥ)’ → ‘blue-reddish’ epithet

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The epithet Nīlalohita evokes Vedic Rudra’s theophany—sudden revelation that overwhelms Brahmā’s discursive knowing; not tied here to a specific jyotirliṅga site.

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Rudra (Nīlalohita)

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva is not reached merely by conceptual inquiry; when grace ripens, the Lord becomes directly manifest (darśana) in an instant, revealing Himself as the supreme Mahāpuruṣa.

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

The verse highlights Saguna revelation—Śiva taking a perceivable form (Nīlalohita, Trivilocana). In Linga worship, this same truth is approached through a sacred, worship-worthy form that grants darśana and inner awakening.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Rudra-dhyāna: meditate on the Three-eyed Lord and invoke Him with mantra (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) so that contemplative seeking matures into experiential darśana.