Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 23

काम्यकर्मविभागः — Taxonomy of Kāmya (Desire-Motivated) Śaiva Rites

Devanagari script

त्रिलोचनारविंदाढ्यं कृतबालेंदुशेखरम् । दक्षिणं नीलजीमूतसमानरुचिरप्रभम्

Transliteration

trilocanāraviṃdāḍhyaṃ kṛtabāleṃduśekharam | dakṣiṇaṃ nīlajīmūtasamānaruciraprabham

Translation

Sur le côté méridional de cette forme sacrée, il contempla le Seigneur : ses trois yeux étaient tels des lotus, la tendre lune croissante ornait son faîte comme un joyau, et sa belle splendeur ressemblait à un nuage de pluie bleu sombre—auspicieuse et compatissante, digne d’être méditée par l’âme liée qui cherche la grâce de Pati (Śiva).

Word by Word

• trilocana: three-eyed
• trilocana: Viśeṣaṇa-aṅga (विशेषण-अङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-locana (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + लोचन)
• Form: Compound member (pūrvapada) in next compound; dvigu: ‘three-eyed’ (three + eyes)

• aravinda: lotus
• aravinda: Viśeṣaṇa-aṅga (विशेषण-अङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aravinda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound member in next compound; ‘lotus’

• āḍhyam: abounding in, endowed with
• āḍhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd/Accusative), Ekavacana; used as predicate/attribute to an implied deity-form (e.g., śivaṃ)

• trilocana-aravinda-āḍhyam: endowed with lotus-like eyes
• trilocana-aravinda-āḍhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: trilocana + aravinda + āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (descriptive): ‘endowed with lotus(-like) (aravinda) (eyes) of the three-eyed (trilocana)’; overall sense: ‘having lotus-like eyes’

• kṛta: made, fashioned
• kṛta: Viśeṣaṇa-aṅga (विशेषण-अङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + ta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛdanta past passive participle (क्त/ta), used as compound member: ‘made/formed’

• bāla: young
• bāla: Viśeṣaṇa-aṅga (विशेषण-अङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound member; ‘young’

• indu: moon
• indu: Viśeṣaṇa-aṅga (विशेषण-अङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound member; ‘moon’

• śekharam: crest, diadem
• śekharam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śekhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/Accusative), Ekavacana; as part of compound kṛtabālenduśekharam

• kṛta-bāla-indu-śekharam: with a crest of the young moon
• kṛta-bāla-indu-śekharam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta + bāla + indu + śekhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka accusative singular form as used adjectivally; tatpuruṣa: ‘having a crest (śekhara) made of (kṛta) the young moon (bāla-indu)’

• dakṣiṇam: right-side / southern
• dakṣiṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd/Accusative), Ekavacana; directional qualifier (right/southern)

• nīla: dark-blue
• nīla: Viśeṣaṇa-aṅga (विशेषण-अङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound member; ‘dark-blue’

• jīmūta: cloud
• jīmūta: Upamāna-aṅga (उपमान-अङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīmūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound member; ‘cloud’

• samāna: similar to
• samāna: Viśeṣaṇa-aṅga (विशेषण-अङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound member; ‘equal/similar’

• rucira: beautiful
• rucira: Viśeṣaṇa-aṅga (विशेषण-अङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rucira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound member; ‘beautiful’

• prabham: radiance, splendor
• prabham: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य/Qualified)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhā/prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; ‘splendour, radiance’

• nīla-jīmūta-samāna-rucira-prabham: with lovely radiance like a dark-blue cloud
• nīla-jīmūta-samāna-rucira-prabham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla + jīmūta + samāna + rucira + prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa chain: ‘having beautiful radiance (rucira-prabha) similar to (samāna) a dark-blue cloud (nīla-jīmūta)’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents a dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditative iconography) of Śiva: the three eyes signify transcendent awareness beyond the three guṇas, and the crescent moon indicates His sovereign control over time and the mind—guiding the paśu (bound soul) toward Śiva’s grace (anugraha) and liberation.

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

It supports saguna-upāsanā—contemplating Śiva with attributes—often used alongside Liṅga worship. The Liṅga is the supreme sign of Pati, while such verses give the devotee a concrete form for inner visualization, stabilizing bhakti and leading toward deeper realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Śiva-dhyāna by visualizing the three-eyed Lord with the crescent moon and cloud-like blue radiance, then mentally repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.” This can be paired with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva disciplines.