Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12

मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence

Tapas-abode

Devanagari script

स शैलश्चंचलीभूतैर्बालैश्चामरयोषिताम् । सर्वपर्वतसाम्राज्यचामरैरिव वीज्यते

Transliteration

sa śailaścaṃcalībhūtairbālaiścāmarayoṣitām | sarvaparvatasāmrājyacāmarairiva vījyate

Translation

Cette montagne semblait être éventée par les mèches frémissantes des jeunes filles portant le chāmara en queue de yak, tels les chasse-mouches royaux de toute la souveraineté des montagnes, ondoyant autour d’elle.

Word by Word

• सः: that
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• शैलः: mountain
• शैलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• चञ्चली-भूतैः: by (those) who have become restless
• चञ्चली-भूतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चञ्चल (प्रातिपदिक) + भू (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; भूत (क्त) with पूर्वपद-विशेषण: ‘having become restless’

• बालैः: by youths / young ones
• बालैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• चामर-योषिताम्: of the fly-whisk maidens
• चामर-योषिताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चामर (प्रातिपदिक) + योषित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘women (bearing) fly-whisks’

• सर्व-पर्वत-साम्राज्य-चामरैः: by the fly-whisks of the sovereignty of all mountains
• सर्व-पर्वत-साम्राज्य-चामरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक) + साम्राज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + चामर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘fly-whisks of the empire of all mountains’

• इव: as if / like
• इव: Sambandha (उपमान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (simile particle)

• वीज्यते: is fanned
• वीज्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Kedāranātha

Sthala Purana: The mountain is treated as a royal court of the divine: attendants (here poetically ‘cāmara-bearing maidens’) honor the adrirāṭ, mirroring how devotees and devas honor Śiva in Kedāra-kṣetra.

Significance: Emphasizes sevā (attentive service) as a mode of approach—pilgrimage is not only darśana but royal attendance upon the Lord’s abode.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

FAQs

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

It portrays the sacred mountain as a living, honored presence, reverenced like a king—suggesting that places connected to Shiva are not mere matter but become sanctified supports for devotion (bhakti) and inner elevation.

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

By depicting Shiva’s sacred realm with royal honor, it supports Saguna devotion—where the devotee serves Shiva through tangible symbols (abode, form, icon, Linga) that steady the mind and mature reverence toward the Supreme (Pati).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate upacāra-bhāva (devotional offering-attitude): mentally ‘fan’ and honor Shiva’s presence through mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and visualization of serving the Lord and His sacred abode.