Shloka 1

Devanagari script

नंदिकेश्वर उवाच । तत्रांतरे तौ च नाथं प्रणम्य विधिमाधवौ । बद्धांजलिपुटौ तूष्णीं तस्थतुर्दक्षवामगौ

Transliteration

naṃdikeśvara uvāca | tatrāṃtare tau ca nāthaṃ praṇamya vidhimādhavau | baddhāṃjalipuṭau tūṣṇīṃ tasthaturdakṣavāmagau

Translation

Nandikeśvara said: Meanwhile, Brahmā the Ordainer and Mādhava (Viṣṇu) bowed to the Lord. With palms joined in añjali, they stood in silent reverence—one at His right and the other at His left.

Word by Word

• नन्दिकेश्वरः: Nandikeśvara
• नन्दिकेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिकेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—नन्देः ईश्वरः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• अन्तरे: in the meantime/interval
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; 'अन्तरे' = in the interval

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• नाथम्: the Lord/master
• नाथम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed (to)
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), 'having bowed'

• विधि-माधवौ: Brahmā and Mādhava (Viṣṇu)
• विधि-माधवौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व समास

• बद्ध-अञ्जलि-पुटौ: with joined palms (hands folded)
• बद्ध-अञ्जलि-पुटौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—बद्धः अञ्जलिः यस्य (अञ्जलिपुटः) इति; व्यवहारतः तत्पुरुष-समास (descriptive)

• तूष्णीम्: silently
• तूष्णीम्: Prakara (प्रकार/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूष्णीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तस्थतुः: stood
• तस्थतुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन

• दक्ष-वामगौ: standing on the right and left (sides)
• दक्ष-वामगौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—दक्षश्च वामश्च (द्वन्द्व) + ग (गः=स्थितः/स्थितिमान्)

Speaker

Nandikeshvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Nandī narrates the posture of Brahmā and Viṣṇu after bowing to Śiva—standing silently at right and left—signaling restored order after the Liṅgodbhava dispute and the recognition of Śiva’s supremacy.

Significance: Embodies the ideal of humility (praṇāma) and mauna (silence) before the Pati; a model for devotees approaching the liṅga with reverence and restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi
• Brahma
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It underscores Shiva’s supreme lordship (Pati) and the ideal posture of devotion: even exalted deities like Brahma and Vishnu approach Him with humility, silence, and folded hands—signs of inner surrender that Shaiva Siddhanta treats as foundational to grace (anugraha).

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

The scene models Saguna worship—approaching the Lord as a present, personal Master worthy of pranama and añjali. In Linga-worship, the same attitude is enacted through respectful circumambulation, stillness of mind, and reverent offering before the Linga as Shiva’s accessible form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice añjali and inner mauna (silence) before Shiva—stand or sit steadily, bow, and mentally offer surrender; this can be paired with quiet japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as a contemplative act of reverence.