Shloka 39

नन्दिकेश्वरोत्पत्तिः — Nandikesvara’s Origin, Shiva’s Boons, and the Rise of Sacred Rivers

Devanagari script

तानि स्रोतांसि त्रीण्यस्याः स्रोतस्विन्यो ऽभवंस्तदा नदीं त्रिस्रोतसं देवो भगवानवदद्भवः

Transliteration

tāni srotāṃsi trīṇyasyāḥ srotasvinyo 'bhavaṃstadā nadīṃ trisrotasaṃ devo bhagavānavadadbhavaḥ

Translation

Saat itu tiga arusnya menjadi tiga aliran yang terpisah. Lalu Bhagavan Bhava (Śiva) menamai sungai itu “Trisrotas”, sungai bertiga arus.

Word by Word

• तानि: those

• स्रोतांसि: streams/currents

• त्रीणि: three

• अस्याः: of her/of that (river)

• स्रोतस्विन्यः: flowing streams/rivulets

• अभवन् तदा: became then

• नदीम्: the river

• त्रिस्रोतसम्: (named) Trisrotas, ‘three-streamed’

• देवः: the Deva

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord

• अवदत्: said/declared

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating; with Śiva/Bhava’s declaration quoted within the narrative)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Bhava)
• Trisrotas (the river)

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It grounds a Shaiva tīrtha in Śiva’s own authority: by naming the river “Trisrotas,” Bhava sanctifies the landscape, supporting tīrtha-snana and worship as auxiliaries to Linga-bhakti.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva appears as Pati—the sovereign who defines sacred order (nāma and artha). His word establishes dharmic reality, indicating lordship over creation and its purifying powers.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Tīrtha-related purification (snāna, smaraṇa, and saṅkalpa at a sanctified river), used as a preparatory aid for Śiva-pūjā and inner cleansing aligned with Pāśupata discipline.