Shloka 25

Sarasvatī-avatāra-prasaṅgaḥ

Account of Sarasvatī’s Manifestation and the Humbling of the Devas

Devanagari script

रक्ताम्बरपरीधाना रक्तमाल्यानुलेपना । कोटिकंदर्प्पसंकाशा चन्द्रकोटिसमप्रभा

Transliteration

raktāmbaraparīdhānā raktamālyānulepanā | koṭikaṃdarppasaṃkāśā candrakoṭisamaprabhā

Translation

She wore red garments and was adorned with red garlands and unguents. Her beauty rivaled that of millions of Kāma-devas, and her radiance was equal to that of ten million moons.

Word by Word

• रक्त-अम्बर-परिधाना: wearing red garments
• रक्त-अम्बर-परिधाना: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक) + परिधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः: ‘रक्तम् अम्बरं परिधानं यस्याः सा’ (wearing red garments)

• रक्त-माल्य-अनुलेपना: with red garlands and unguents
• रक्त-माल्य-अनुलेपना: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीह्यर्थे: ‘रक्तं माल्यं च अनुलेपनं च यस्याः’ (having red garlands and unguents)

• कोटि-कन्दर्प-संकाशा: resembling crores of Kāma (Cupid)
• कोटि-कन्दर्प-संकाशा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्दर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + संकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘कोटिकन्दर्पस्य संकाशा’ (like crores of Kāma)

• चन्द्र-कोटि-सम-प्रभा: whose radiance equals crores of moons
• चन्द्र-कोटि-सम-प्रभा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘चन्द्रकोट्या समा प्रभा यस्याः’ (having radiance equal to crores of moons)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Aesthetic theophany of Devī; no direct Jyotirliṅga linkage.

Significance: Darśana of Devī’s auspicious beauty (saumya-śrī) is treated as grace that pacifies fear and draws the mind from paśu-bound distraction toward devotion and knowledge.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Kandarpa (Kamadeva)
• Chandra (Moon)

FAQs

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

The verse glorifies Umā (Pārvatī) as Saguna Śakti—divine beauty and radiance that draw the mind from worldly attraction toward sacred devotion, indicating that the Lord’s grace is approached through reverence to Shiva together with His power (Śakti).

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

In Shaiva Siddhanta, Shiva is Pati and Śakti is inseparable from Him; praising Umā’s resplendent form supports Saguna upāsanā—devotion to Shiva as the Linga together with the honoring of the Goddess who enables devotion, purity, and spiritual awakening.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna (meditation) on the luminous divine form—visualizing moon-like purity and brilliance—combined with Shiva worship such as japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and offering fragrant unguents/flowers in pūjā.