Shloka 24

शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Pañcabrahma Avatāras

Devanagari script

ततोऽपश्यन्महातेजा प्रादुर्भूतं कुमारकम् । कृष्णवर्णं महावीर्यं दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा

Transliteration

tato'paśyanmahātejā prādurbhūtaṃ kumārakam | kṛṣṇavarṇaṃ mahāvīryaṃ dīpyamānaṃ svatejasā

Translation

ಆಗ ಆ ಮಹಾತೇಜಸ್ವಿಯು ಅಚಾನಕವಾಗಿ ಪ್ರಾದುರ್ಭವಿಸಿದ ಒಬ್ಬ ಕುಮಾರನನ್ನು ಕಂಡನು—ಕೃಷ್ಣವರ್ಣ, ಮಹಾವೀರ್ಯವಂತ, ತನ್ನ ಸ್ವತೇಜಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮಾನನಾಗಿದ್ದನು।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• apaśyat: saw
• apaśyat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• mahātejāḥ: the greatly radiant one
• mahātejāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः: कर्मधारय (mahā + tejāḥ = very radiant)

• prādurbhūtam: manifested, appeared
• prādurbhūtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prādur-bhū (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः: prādur + bhūta = manifested

• kumārakam: a boy, young child
• kumārakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• kṛṣṇa-varṇam: black-colored
• kṛṣṇa-varṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa-varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (varṇaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ = of black color)

• mahā-vīryam: of great power
• mahā-vīryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः: कर्मधारय (great + potency)

• dīpyamānam: shining, blazing
• dīpyamānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīp (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (present passive participle, शानच्/मान), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• sva-tejasā: by his own splendor
• sva-tejasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva-tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (own + radiance)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: theophany of Rudra within the pre-creation oceanic state

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva teaching that the Divine can manifest directly by its own power—self-effulgent (svatejasā)—revealing a tangible, saguna form that inspires awe and devotion while pointing to Shiva’s transcendent source of radiance.

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

Like the Linga—aniconic yet radiant—this manifestation emphasizes Shiva as self-revealing. The verse supports saguna upasana (devotional contemplation of form) while implying that the form’s brilliance arises from Shiva’s intrinsic, limitless consciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as self-luminous (jyoti) within the heart while chanting the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and, if following Purana-based practice, wear Rudraksha and apply Tripundra (bhasma) to steady devotion and inner focus.