Shloka 5

वीरभद्र-भैरव-आह्वानम् — Invocation of Vīrabhadra/Bhairava for Cosmic Reabsorption

Devanagari script

क्रीडद्भिश्च महावीरैर्ब्रह्माद्यैः कन्दुकैरिव । अदृष्टपूर्वैरन्यैश्च वेष्टितो वीरवन्दितः

Transliteration

krīḍadbhiśca mahāvīrairbrahmādyaiḥ kandukairiva | adṛṣṭapūrvairanyaiśca veṣṭito vīravanditaḥ

Translation

Ia dikelilingi para mahāvīra—Brahmā dan para dewa luhur lainnya—yang bermain di sekelilingnya seakan-akan ia sebuah bola. Ia juga dikepung oleh makhluk-makhluk lain yang belum pernah terlihat, sementara para pemberani memuji dan memberi hormat kepadanya.

Word by Word

• क्रीडद्भिः: with those playing/sporting
• क्रीडद्भिः: Sahakārī (सहकारी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• महावीरैः: with great heroes
• महावीरैः: Sahakārī (सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ब्रह्माद्यैः: with Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्माद्यैः: Sahakārī (सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• कन्दुकैः: with balls
• कन्दुकैः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्दुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• इव: like/as if
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमावाचक-निपात (particle of comparison)

• अदृष्टपूर्वैः: never-seen-before
• अदृष्टपूर्वैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अन्यैः: with other (ones)
• अन्यैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• वेष्टितः: encircled/surrounded
• वेष्टितः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वीरवन्दितः: praised by heroes
• वीरवन्दितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक) + वन्दित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It portrays the Lord as the supreme center of all powers—praised even by Brahmā and other mighty beings—highlighting that all greatness ultimately orbits Shiva, the Pati (Lord) beyond comparison.

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

The imagery of being “surrounded” and “praised” points to Saguna Shiva as accessible and celebrated by divine hosts; in practice, this reverence culminates in Linga-worship, where the same supreme reality is approached through a sacred, worshipable form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt bhakti-filled remembrance: mentally place Shiva at the center, offer salutations, and repeat the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while visualizing the Lord surrounded by divine attendants.