Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
ऋषिगन्धर्वरूपश्व सिद्धचारणरूपधृक् । भस्मपाण्ड्रगात्रश्न चन्द्रार्थकृतभूषण:
ṛṣigandharvarūpaś ca siddhacāraṇarūpadhṛk | bhasmapāṇḍragātraś ca candrārdhakṛtabhūṣaṇaḥ ||
ວາສຸເທວະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ພຣະອົງສາມາດແປງຮູບເປັນລະສີ ແລະ ຄັນທະວະ, ທັງຍັງຮັບຮູບເປັນສິດທະ ແລະ ຈາຣະນະ. ພຣະວະກາຍທັງໝົດເບິ່ງຂາວຈາງເນື່ອງຈາກຖູດ້ວຍຂີ້ເທົ່າສັກສິດ, ແລະຊົງປະດັບຈັນທຣາຄຶ່ງດວງໄວ້ທີ່ພຣະນະພາກ»។
वासुदेव उवाच
The verse highlights the divine’s many manifestations and recognizable ascetic marks: the ability to assume varied exalted forms (ṛṣi, gandharva, siddha, cāraṇa) and the emblematic signs of renunciation and sovereignty (sacred ash and the half-moon). Ethically, it points to reverence for spiritual attainment and the ideal of inner purity expressed through ascetic symbolism.
Vāsudeva is describing a revered deity’s appearance and attributes, emphasizing his shape-shifting into celestial and sage-like forms and his distinctive adornments—body whitened by ash and the half-moon on the forehead—features traditionally associated with Śiva.