Shloka 24

शिवध्यानपूजनवर्णनम्

Description of Śiva Meditation and Worship

Devanagari script

बालेन्दुमुकुटं सौम्यं त्रिनेत्रं च चतुर्भुजम् । दीप्तशूलमृगीटंकहेमवेत्रधरं विभुम्

Transliteration

bālendumukuṭaṃ saumyaṃ trinetraṃ ca caturbhujam | dīptaśūlamṛgīṭaṃkahemavetradharaṃ vibhum

Translation

彼は遍満の主にして、柔和にして吉祥。三日月を冠とし、三眼・四臂を具え、赫々と燃ゆる三叉戟を執り、鹿の印を帯び、黄金の杖を携える大いなる御方である。

Word by Word

• bālendu-mukuṭam: (him) having a crescent-moon crown
• bālendu-mukuṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + indu (प्रातिपदिक) + mukuṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) — ‘बालेन्दोः मुकुटम्’

• saumyam: gentle, auspicious
• saumyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• tri-netram: three-eyed
• tri-netram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः — ‘त्रीणि नेत्राणि यस्य’ (त्रिनेत्र)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• catur-bhujam: four-armed
• catur-bhujam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः — ‘चत्वारो भुजाः यस्य’

• dīpta-śūla-mṛgīṭaṃka-hema-vetra-dharam: bearing a blazing trident, a deer-mark, and a golden staff
• dīpta-śūla-mṛgīṭaṃka-hema-vetra-dharam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīpta (प्रातिपदिक) + śūla (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + īṭaṃka/īṭaṅka (प्रातिपदिक) + hema (प्रातिपदिक) + vetra (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः — ‘दीप्तं शूलं (च) मृगीटङ्कं (च) हेमवेत्रं (च) धरति’ इति धरा-प्रत्ययान्तः

• vibhum: the all-pervading Lord
• vibhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kailasha Samhita teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: A dhyāna-icon of Śiva (three-eyed, crescent-crowned, trident-bearing) used for internalization of the Lord prior to worship; in Siddhānta, such dhyāna supports removal of āṇava/māyīya obscuration (tirodhāna understood as the veiling power that is transcended through right worship).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva’s saguna (with attributes) form for dhyāna: the crescent moon and gentle aspect signify grace and coolness; the three eyes indicate transcendent awareness that burns ignorance; the divine weapons symbolize the Lord’s power to cut bondage and protect the devotee on the path to liberation.

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

While the Linga points to Shiva’s nirguna reality, this verse supports saguna upāsanā—visualizing Shiva’s auspicious form to steady the mind. In Shaiva Siddhanta, both approaches harmonize: form-based devotion ripens the soul toward realizing Shiva beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Shiva-dhyāna by contemplating this iconography while reciting the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya). A simple supportive discipline is applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and doing japa with Rudrāksha to cultivate steadiness and devotion.