Shloka 27

Devanagari script

शृंगं वामे करे धृत्वा दक्षिणे डमरु तथा । पृष्ठे कंथां रक्तवासा नृत्यगानविशारदः

Transliteration

śṛṃgaṃ vāme kare dhṛtvā dakṣiṇe ḍamaru tathā | pṛṣṭhe kaṃthāṃ raktavāsā nṛtyagānaviśāradaḥ

Translation

Il tenait une corne dans la main gauche et, dans la droite, un ḍamaru ; un manteau sur le dos, vêtu de rouge, il excellait dans la danse et le chant.

Word by Word

• शृङ्गम्: horn
• शृङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (accusative)

• वामे: in the left
• वामे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (locative); ‘वामे’ = in the left

• करे: hand
• करे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (locative)

• धृत्वा: having held
• धृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावे कृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having held)

• दक्षिणे: in the right
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (locative); ‘in the right’

• डमरु: ḍamaru drum
• डमरु: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डमरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; अत्र कर्म (object held)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (also/likewise)

• पृष्ठे: on the back
• पृष्ठे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (locative)

• कन्थाम्: cloak/outer garment
• कन्थाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (accusative)

• रक्त-वासा: wearing red garments
• रक्त-वासा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त + वासस्/वासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (one whose clothing is red); पुल्लिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा; विशेषणम्

• नृत्य-गान-विशारदः: skilled in dance and singing
• नृत्य-गान-विशारदः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृत्य + गान + विशारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/तत्पुरुष-प्रधान (skilled in dance and song); पुल्लिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Naṭarāja

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva’s Saguna (manifest) attributes—sound (ḍamaru), rhythm, and divine artistry—showing that creation, dissolution, and grace operate through sacred vibration (nāda) and ordered movement, guiding devotees toward inner stillness and liberation.

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

While the Liṅga points to Shiva’s transcendent Nirguna reality, such iconographic descriptions support Saguna upāsanā: devotees contemplate Shiva’s forms and symbols (like the ḍamaru) to steady the mind, mature devotion, and ultimately realize the Liṅga’s formless truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on the ḍamaru as the source of sacred sound and silently repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” aligning breath and attention with rhythmic japa—especially suitable for Mahāśivarātri vrata, worship, and night-long kīrtana.