Shloka 41

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

एवं दृष्ट्वा महेशानं शब्दब्रह्मतनुं शिवम् । प्रणम्य च मया विष्णुः पुनश्चापश्यदूर्द्ध्वतः

Transliteration

evaṃ dṛṣṭvā maheśānaṃ śabdabrahmatanuṃ śivam | praṇamya ca mayā viṣṇuḥ punaścāpaśyadūrddhvataḥ

Translation

Ainsi, après avoir vu Maheśāna—Śiva dont le corps est le Brahman du son sacré—Viṣṇu se prosterna. Puis, de nouveau, il leva les yeux vers les hauteurs.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• महेशानम्: Maheśāna (Śiva)
• महेशानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शब्दब्रह्मतनुम्: whose body is ‘sound-Brahman’
• शब्दब्रह्मतनुम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्दब्रह्म + तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शब्दब्रह्म-रूपा तनुः यस्य/शब्दब्रह्मतनुः)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) with उपसर्ग प्र; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having bowed)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive/associated instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (again)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ऊर्ध्वतः: upwards/from above
• ऊर्ध्वतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative sense as direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-निष्पन्न अव्यय/दिक्-अव्यय; पञ्चमी-अर्थे (from above/upwards)

Speaker

Brahma (narrating the vision within the Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: evaṃ dṛṣṭvā maheśānaṃ śabdabrahmatanuṃ śivam | praṇamya ca mayā viṣṇuḥ punaścāpaśyadūrddhvataḥ

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Maheshana

FAQs

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

It shows that even Viṣṇu responds to Śiva with reverent surrender after directly perceiving Him as Śabda-Brahman—indicating that mantra and sacred sound are not merely symbols but a living doorway to Pati (Śiva), the supreme Lord.

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

Calling Śiva “śabdabrahma-tanu” links Saguna worship (form, name, mantra) with the highest reality: the Linga and mantra are accessible supports through which the devotee approaches the transcendent Śiva, who is beyond limitation yet graciously manifest.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-upāsanā is implied—steady japa and contemplation on Śiva as Śabda-Brahman (especially the Pañcākṣarī, ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) combined with humble pranāma (bowing) as the inner attitude of bhakti.