Shloka 11

भैरवावतारलीलावर्णनम् (Bhairava-avatāra-līlā-varṇanam) — “Narration of the Divine Play of Bhairava’s Descent”

Devanagari script

अयन्धाता विधाता च लोकानां प्रभुरीश्वरः । अनादिः शरणः शान्तः पुरः षड्विंशसंमितः

Transliteration

ayandhātā vidhātā ca lokānāṃ prabhurīśvaraḥ | anādiḥ śaraṇaḥ śāntaḥ puraḥ ṣaḍviṃśasaṃmitaḥ

Translation

He is indeed the Sustainer and the Ordainer of the worlds—their Lord and sovereign Īśvara. Beginningless, the Refuge of all, and ever Peaceful, He abides in the ‘city’ (the body) measured as twenty-six principles.

Word by Word

• अयम्: this (he)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/निर्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• धाता: creator/sustainer
• धाता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धा (धातु) → धातृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-तृन्/तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun)

• विधाता: ordainer/arranger
• विधाता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विधातृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-तृन्/तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds/people
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रभुः: lord/master
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ईश्वरः: sovereign
• ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनादिः: beginningless
• अनादिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शरणः: refuge
• शरणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शान्तः: peaceful
• शान्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शम्-निष्ठा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि/कर्तरि निष्ठा (past participle)

• पुरः: in front/foremost
• पुरः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place: in front/foremost)

• षड्विंश-संमितः: measured as twenty-six
• षड्विंश-संमितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड्विंश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + संमित (प्रातिपदिक; √मा-निष्ठा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षड्विंशत्या संमितः = measured by twenty-six)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as the beginningless Lord who sustains and governs all worlds, and teaches surrender to Him as the शांत (peace) that liberates the soul from bondage.

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

By calling Him Īśvara and the refuge of all, the verse supports Saguna worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—as a direct means to approach the transcendent, beginningless Shiva who still graciously abides near the devotee.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) through japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating Shiva as the शांत Īśvara who pervades yet surpasses the twenty-six tattvas that constitute embodied experience.