Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 147

Devanagari script

रक्तोर्ध्वमूर्धजः श्रीमान्भ्रुकुटीकुटिलेक्षणः । रक्तवृत्तत्रिनयनः शशिपन्नगभूषणः

Transliteration

raktordhvamūrdhajaḥ śrīmānbhrukuṭīkuṭilekṣaṇaḥ | raktavṛttatrinayanaḥ śaśipannagabhūṣaṇaḥ

Translation

彼は栄光に満ち、赤みを帯びた髪は上へと逆立つ。眉は寄せられ弓なりに曲がり、その眼差しは峻烈である。三つの眼は円く赤く、月と蛇を身に飾る——これぞ観想礼拝のために説かれる、吉祥なる主シヴァのサグナ（有相）顕現の御姿である。

Word by Word

• rakta-ūrdhva-mūrdhajaḥ: with reddish hair standing upright
• rakta-ūrdhva-mūrdhajaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrdhaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘ūrdhvaṃ mūrdhajāḥ’ (hair standing up) qualified by ‘rakta’ (reddish)

• śrīmān: splendid/fortunate
• śrīmān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (possessive)

• bhrukuṭī-kuṭila-īkṣaṇaḥ: with a gaze (from) knitted brows
• bhrukuṭī-kuṭila-īkṣaṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhrukuṭī (प्रातिपदिक) + kuṭila (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘kuṭilā bhrukuṭī’ (knitted/curved brows) + ‘īkṣaṇa’ (look)

• rakta-vṛtta-tri-nayanaḥ: three-eyed, with red round eyes
• rakta-vṛtta-tri-nayanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक) + tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + nayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘vṛttāni’ (round) ‘raktāni’ (red) ‘trīṇi nayanāni’ (three eyes)

• śaśi-pannaga-bhūṣaṇaḥ: adorned with the moon and a serpent
• śaśi-pannaga-bhūṣaṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaśin (प्रातिपदिक) + pannaga (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘śaśī ca pannagaś ca’ as ornaments; sense: ‘śaśi-pannagau bhūṣaṇe yasya’ (ornamented with moon and serpent)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Kālabhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Serves as a dhyāna-lakṣaṇa for contemplating the guardian/ugra Śiva form; supports protective worship at kṣetra boundaries and during night rites.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: raktordhvamūrdhajaḥ śrīmānbhrukuṭīkuṭilekṣaṇaḥ | raktavṛttatrinayanaḥ śaśipannagabhūṣaṇaḥ

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Śiva’s dhyāna-rūpa (meditative form): the upward-rising hair, three red round eyes, and ornaments of moon and serpent signify His mastery over time, death, and the awakened inner power—guiding the bound soul (paśu) to take refuge in the Lord (Pati).

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

It supports saguṇa-upāsanā: devotees visualize Śiva’s iconic marks (trinayana, śaśi, pannaga) while worshipping the Liṅga, understanding the Liṅga as the supreme reality made approachable through a compassionate manifest form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dhyāna with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), holding this form in the heart; traditionally one may also apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and offer bilva leaves to the Liṅga while maintaining steady contemplation.