Shloka 7

नन्दिकेश्वरावताराभिषेकविवाहवर्णनम्

Nandikeśvara: Incarnation, Consecration, and Marriage—Description

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे तृतीयायां शतरुद्रसंहितायां नन्दिकेश्वरावताराभिषेकविवाह वर्णनं नाम सप्तमोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe tṛtīyāyāṃ śatarudrasaṃhitāyāṃ nandikeśvarāvatārābhiṣekavivāha varṇanaṃ nāma saptamo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

Ainsi, dans le Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa, au Troisième Livre, la Śatarudra-saṃhitā, s’achève le Septième Chapitre, intitulé : «Récit de l’incarnation de Nandikeśvara, de sa consécration (abhiṣeka) et de son mariage».

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध/प्रकरणसूचक (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya); उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक (quotative/end marker)

• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (Karmadhāraya) बहुपद; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तृतीयायाम्: in the third
• तृतीयायाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) संहितायाम् इति

• शतरुद्र-संहितायाम्: in the Śatarudra-saṃhitā
• शतरुद्र-संहितायाम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa): शतरुद्रस्य संहिता; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नन्दिकेश्वर-अवतार-अभिषेक-विवाह-वर्णनम्: the description of Nandikeśvara’s incarnation, consecration, and marriage
• नन्दिकेश्वर-अवतार-अभिषेक-विवाह-वर्णनम्: सम्बन्ध/विषय (Topic/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिकेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक) + विवाह (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (multi-member Tatpuruṣa): नन्दिकेश्वरस्य अवतारस्य अभिषेकस्य विवाहस्य वर्णनम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• नाम: named
• नाम: सम्बन्ध (Appositional marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya); नाम-निपात (particle indicating title)

• सप्तमः: seventh
• सप्तमः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) अध्यायः इति

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: कर्ता/विधेय (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Colophon marking the close of the chapter on Nandikeśvara’s avatāra, abhiṣeka, and vivāha; not a jyotirliṅga-specific sthala narrative.

Significance: Textual śravaṇa/pāṭha of the māhātmya-style chapter is itself treated in Purāṇic culture as meritorious (puṇya) and bhakti-enhancing.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi
• Nandikesvara

FAQs

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

This is a colophon that seals the chapter’s teaching: devotion expressed through consecration (abhiṣeka), sacred vows, and dharmic household life can all become forms of Śiva-sevā, exemplified through Nandikeśvara.

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

By naming “abhiṣeka,” it points to the central Shaiva practice of bathing and honoring Saguna Śiva—often through the Śiva-liṅga—where ritual becomes a vessel for bhakti and inner purification.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Abhiṣeka is implied: perform Śiva-abhiṣeka with mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a service-attitude (sevā-bhāva), emulating Nandi’s steadfast devotion.