Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

विभूतिविस्तरप्रश्नः / Inquiry into the Expansion of Śiva’s Vibhūti

Devanagari script

नमश्चकार तं दृष्ट्वा हृष्टसर्वतनूरुहः । बहुमानेन कृष्णो ऽसौ त्रिः कृत्वा तु प्रदक्षिणाम्

Transliteration

namaścakāra taṃ dṛṣṭvā hṛṣṭasarvatanūruhaḥ | bahumānena kṛṣṇo 'sau triḥ kṛtvā tu pradakṣiṇām

Translation

En Le voyant, Kṛṣṇa—le corps tout frémissant de joie—se prosterna en hommage. Avec une grande vénération, il accomplit ensuite trois pradakṣiṇā, tournant autour du Seigneur.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे (used as salutation)

• चकार: did, made
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having seen)

• हृष्टसर्वतनूरुहः: whose whole body had bristling hairs (thrilled)
• हृष्टसर्वतनूरुहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट-सर्व-तनू-रुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य सर्वे तनूरुहाः हृष्टाः = whose body-hairs all stood thrilled)

• बहुमानेन: with great reverence
• बहुमानेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु-मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (बहु मानः = great reverence)

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• असौ: this/that (person), he
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• त्रिः: thrice
• त्रिः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-अव्यय (numeral adverb)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having done)

• तु: indeed, then
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: emphasis/contrast)

• प्रदक्षिणाम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a Jyotirliṅga; it depicts exemplary bhakti-lakṣaṇa: horripilation (romāñca), namaskāra, and triḥ-pradakṣiṇā to a Śaiva guru absorbed in Śiva.

Significance: Validates pradakṣiṇā and namaskāra as potent acts of surrender; three circumambulations signify complete honoring of the sacred center (guru/Śiva).

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights bhakti-lakṣaṇa—true devotion—where inner transformation appears outwardly as awe, joy (romāñca), and humble surrender before Pati (Lord Shiva). Such reverence loosens pāśa (bondage) and turns the soul (paśu) toward grace.

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

Pradakṣiṇā and namaskāra are classic acts of Saguna Shiva worship—approaching the Lord through form and presence. In Shaiva understanding, honoring the manifest Lord (including the Shiva Linga) becomes a doorway to realizing His transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer namaskāra with a focused mind, then perform three pradakṣiṇās around Shiva (or the Shiva Linga), internally repeating a Shiva-mantra such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with reverence.