Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

उत्तरं विद्रुमप्रख्यं नीलालकविभूषितम् । सविलासं त्रिनयनं चन्द्राभरणशेखरम्

Transliteration

uttaraṃ vidrumaprakhyaṃ nīlālakavibhūṣitam | savilāsaṃ trinayanaṃ candrābharaṇaśekharam

Translation

Son aspect septentrional brillait comme le corail rouge, orné de boucles de cheveux bleu sombre ; plein de grâce et de jeu, aux trois yeux, portant la lune croissante comme ornement de faîte sur sa tête.

Word by Word

• uttaram: northern, upper
• uttaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; directional qualifier (northern/upper)

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

• prakhyam: resembling, like
• prakhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prakhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; ‘resembling’

• vidruma-prakhyam: coral-like
• vidruma-prakhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidruma + prakhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘resembling coral’

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

• ālaka: hair-locks
• ālaka: Viśeṣya-aṅga (विशेष्य-अङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound member; ‘curl/lock of hair’

• vibhūṣitam: adorned
• vibhūṣitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-bhūṣ (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta PPP (क्त), Napuṃsaka Dvitīyā Ekavacana; ‘adorned’

• nīla-ālaka-vibhūṣitam: adorned with dark hair-locks
• nīla-ālaka-vibhūṣitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla + ālaka + vibhūṣita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘adorned with dark locks of hair’

• sa: with
• sa: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश)
• Form: Upasarga-like prefix in compound; ‘with’ (saha-artha)

• vilāsam: grace, playfulness
• vilāsam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vilāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsaka usage; here Napuṃsaka Dvitīyā Ekavacana as adjective-like ‘playful grace’

• sa-vilāsam: graceful, playful
• sa-vilāsam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + vilāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; avyayībhāva: ‘with grace/playfulness’

• tri: three
• tri: Viśeṣaṇa-aṅga (विशेषण-अङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral member in compound

• nayanam: eye
• nayanam: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; ‘eye’

• tri-nayanam: three-eyed
• tri-nayanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri + nayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; dvigu: ‘three-eyed’

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

• ābharaṇa: ornament
• ābharaṇa: Viśeṣya-aṅga (विशेष्य-अङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound member; ‘ornament’

• śekharam: crest, diadem
• śekharam: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śekhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsaka accusative singular form used adjectivally; ‘crest’

• candra-ābharaṇa-śekharam: with a crest adorned by the moon
• candra-ābharaṇa-śekharam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: candra + ābharaṇa + śekhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative singular (as adjective), tatpuruṣa: ‘having a crest (śekhara) that is an ornament (ābharaṇa) of the moon (candra)’ i.e., ‘moon-ornamented crest’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vāmadeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents a dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditative mark) of Pati—Shiva as the gracious, perceivable Lord—so the bound soul (paśu) can steady the mind on His auspicious form and move toward liberation through devotion and inner discipline.

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

While the Liṅga points to Shiva’s transcendent (nirguṇa) reality, this verse gives Saguna features—three eyes, crescent moon, radiant complexion—supporting form-based contemplation that ripens devotion and culminates in realizing the Liṅga’s formless truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Shiva-dhyāna: visualize Chandrashekhara, the three-eyed Lord with matted curls, and silently repeat the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as japa, especially during pradoṣa or Mahāśivarātri worship.