Shloka 15

Kṛṣṇādi-Śivabhaktoddhāraṇa & Śiva-māhātmya-varṇana

Deliverance of Krishna and other devotees; Description of Shiva’s Greatness

Devanagari script

सर्वाश्चर्यमयं कांतं महेशमजमव्ययम् । नानागणान्वितं तुष्टं पुत्राभ्यां संयुतं प्रभुम्

Transliteration

sarvāścaryamayaṃ kāṃtaṃ maheśamajamavyayam | nānāgaṇānvitaṃ tuṣṭaṃ putrābhyāṃ saṃyutaṃ prabhum

Translation

She beheld the Beloved Lord—Mahēśa—unborn and imperishable, the very embodiment of all wonder; attended by hosts of diverse gaṇas, serene and pleased, and united with His two sons, that sovereign Master.

Word by Word

• sarva-āścarya-mayam: full of all marvels
• sarva-āścarya-mayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + āścarya (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘consisting of all wonders’

• kāntam: beautiful, beloved
• kāntam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• maheśam: Mahēśa
• maheśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• ajam: unborn
• ajam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• avyayam: imperishable
• avyayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• nānā-gaṇa-anvitam: attended by many hosts
• nānā-gaṇa-anvitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (प्रातिपदिक; from anu-√i/इ)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘accompanied by various groups’; anvita is kta-participle

• tuṣṭam: pleased
• tuṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tuṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; from √tuṣ/तुष्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); past participle (क्त)

• putrābhyām: with (his) two sons
• putrābhyām: Sahakāraka (सहकारक) / accompaniment
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Dvivacana (द्विवचन)

• saṃyutam: joined, accompanied
• saṃyutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃyuta (प्रातिपदिक; from sam-√yuj/युज्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); past participle (क्त) ‘joined/associated’

• prabhum: the Lord
• prabhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganesha
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

The verse presents Śiva as Pati (the supreme Lord): simultaneously accessible in a wondrous, personal form (saguṇa) and established as unborn and imperishable (transcendent). Contemplating this union supports devotion that matures into liberation.

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

Although the Liṅga is not named here, the theology matches Liṅga-worship: the one imperishable reality is adored through a perceivable form—Mahēśa attended by gaṇas and with His divine sons—encouraging saguṇa upāsanā that points to the eternal (avyaya) Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna on Mahēśa as ‘aja’ and ‘avyaya’ while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), visualizing Him serene and pleased; this can be paired with simple Śiva-pūjā using bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as supportive aids.