Shloka 19

नन्दिकेश्वरोत्पत्तिः — Nandikesvara’s Origin, Shiva’s Boons, and the Rise of Sacred Rivers

Devanagari script

तुष्टो ऽब्रवीन्महादेवः सोमः सोमार्धभूषणः वत्स नन्दिन्महाबाहो मृत्योर्भीतिः कुतस्तव

Transliteration

tuṣṭo 'bravīnmahādevaḥ somaḥ somārdhabhūṣaṇaḥ vatsa nandinmahābāho mṛtyorbhītiḥ kutastava

Translation

Satisfait, Mahādeva—Soma, dont l’ornement est le croissant de lune—dit : «Mon cher enfant Nandin, ô toi aux bras puissants, d’où pourrait venir pour toi la crainte de la mort ?»

Word by Word

• tuṣṭaḥ: being pleased

• abravīt: said/spoke

• mahādevaḥ: the Great God (Shiva), the Pati

• somaḥ: Soma (Shiva identified with the lunar principle)

• somārdha-bhūṣaṇaḥ: whose ornament is half the moon/crescent-crested

• vatsa: dear child

• nandin: Nandin (Shiva’s chief gaṇa and devotee)

• mahā-bāho: O mighty-armed

• mṛtyoḥ: of death

• bhītiḥ: fear

• kutaḥ: whence/how

• tava: for you

Speaker

Shiva (Mahadeva, Soma)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Soma
• Nandin
• Mrityu (Death)

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It asserts the core fruit of Shiva/Linga-upāsanā—abhaya (fearlessness): the Pashu who takes refuge in Pati is no longer shaken by mṛtyu-bhaya, because Shiva’s grace protects and leads toward liberation.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva is shown as Pati—compassionate, pleased by devotion, and the bestower of fearlessness; as Somārdha-bhūṣaṇa, he also signifies transcendence over time and death, since the moon marks time yet rests as his ornament.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes bhakti and śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) as the inner practice; in Pāśupata orientation, such surrender matures into steadiness (dhairya) and detachment that dissolves fear of death.