Shloka 24

Svagati-varṇana

Description of the Supreme State / One’s True Attainment

Devanagari script

त्रिशिखां भृकुटीं कृत्वा तर्जयंतमिव स्थितम् । विधूम्रानलसंकाशं बालसूर्यमिवोदितम्

Transliteration

triśikhāṃ bhṛkuṭīṃ kṛtvā tarjayaṃtamiva sthitam | vidhūmrānalasaṃkāśaṃ bālasūryamivoditam

Translation

With a three-pointed crest and knitted brow, he stood as though threatening; his radiance was like smokeless fire—like the youthful sun newly risen.

Word by Word

• tri-śikhām: three crests/tufts (as a form/feature)
• tri-śikhām: Karma (कर्म) (object of kṛtvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + śikhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu-samāsa (numerical compound) ‘tisraḥ śikhā yasya/triśikhā’; Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc.), Ekavacana

• bhṛkuṭīm: a frown / knitted brow
• bhṛkuṭīm: Karma (कर्म) (object of kṛtvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhṛkuṭī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc.), Ekavacana

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (absolutive/gerund), pūrvakāla-kriyā

• tarjayantam: threatening
• tarjayantam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (qualifying implied object/person)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √tarj (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya (present active participle); Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc.), Ekavacana

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamā-sūcaka (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-nipāta (comparative particle)

• sthitam: standing / stationed
• sthitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya (past passive participle); Napuṃsakalīṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc.), Ekavacana (agreeing with implied object)

• vi-dhūmra-anala-saṃkāśam: resembling a smokeless fire
• vi-dhūmra-anala-saṃkāśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi (उपसर्ग) + dhūmra (प्रातिपदिक) + anala (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (karmadhāraya/tatpuruṣa chain) ‘dhūmraḥ analaḥ’ (smoky fire) with vi- (intensifier/qualifier) + saṃkāśa ‘like’; Napuṃsakalīṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc.), Ekavacana

• bāla-sūryam: the young (rising) sun
• bāla-sūryam: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + sūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya-samāsa ‘bālaḥ sūryaḥ’; Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc.), Ekavacana (upamāna)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-sūcaka (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-nipāta

• uditam: risen / arisen
• uditam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-√i (धातु)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya (past passive participle) with upasarga ud-; Napuṃsakalīṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc.), Ekavacana

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse is a theophanic description of Śiva/Rudra’s terrifying radiance (tejas) and posture (bhṛkuṭī), typical of saṃhāra/niyaman (chastening) motifs.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva’s tejas (luminous power): outwardly fierce and admonishing, yet inwardly purifying—like smokeless fire that burns ignorance and loosens pāśa (bondage), revealing Pati as the liberating Lord.

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

It supports Saguna upāsanā: devotees contemplate Shiva’s awe-inspiring form and radiance to steady the mind; this same tejas is worshipped in the Liṅga as the concentrated, formless presence made accessible for devotion and inner absorption.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Dhyāna on Shiva’s fire-like brilliance (tejas) is suggested—pairing japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with calm breath and, if practiced, Tripuṇḍra-bhasma as a reminder of inner purification.