Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

पपात दण्डवद्भूमौ तं दृष्ट्वा गरुडध्वजः । देवाश्च मुनयश्चैव देवनार्य्यः समन्ततः

Transliteration

papāta daṇḍavadbhūmau taṃ dṛṣṭvā garuḍadhvajaḥ | devāśca munayaścaiva devanāryyaḥ samantataḥ

Translation

On seeing Him, the Lord whose banner bears Garuḍa (Viṣṇu) fell upon the ground like a staff in full prostration; and all around, the gods, the sages, and the celestial ladies likewise bowed in reverence.

Word by Word

• papāta: fell down
• papāta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (पत् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• daṇḍavat: prostrating like a staff
• daṇḍavat: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: daṇḍavat (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: like a staff, prostrate)

• bhūmau: on the ground
• bhūmau: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Locative singular)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular pronoun)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Hetu/पूर्वक्रिया (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु) → dṛṣṭvā (क्त्वा-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): having seen

• garuḍadhvajaḥ: the one with Garuḍa as his banner (Viṣṇu)
• garuḍadhvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (गरुडः ध्वजः यस्य)

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• munayaḥ: the sages
• munayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis: indeed/just)

• devanāryyaḥ: the wives of the gods
• devanāryyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानां नार्यः)

• samantataḥ: from all sides
• samantataḥ: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: on all sides/everywhere)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The scene is a Hari-Hara reverence moment: Viṣṇu (Garuḍadhvaja) performs daṇḍavat to Bhairava/Mahākāla; not a Jyotirliṅga origin account.

Significance: Models ideal bhakti and humility: even the highest deva honors Śiva; darśana of Bhairava is framed as worthy of universal veneration and protective grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Devas
• Munis
• Devanaris

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender): even the highest gods respond to Shiva’s supreme presence with complete humility, teaching that true spiritual progress begins with ego-less reverence to Pati (Lord Shiva).

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

The prostration reflects proper approach to Saguna Shiva—reverent darśana and surrender—mirroring how devotees bow before the Śiva-liṅga as the accessible, compassionate form of the transcendent Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice daṇḍavat-praṇāma with inward humility, and accompany it with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating surrender rather than mere outward formality.