Shloka 47

एकोनविंशतिशिवावतारवर्णनम्

Description of the Nineteen Manifestations/Avatāras of Śiva

Devanagari script

दिव्यां मेरुगुहां पुण्यां त्वया सार्द्धं च विष्णुना । भविष्यामि तदा ब्रह्मंल्लकुली नामनामतः

Transliteration

divyāṃ meruguhāṃ puṇyāṃ tvayā sārddhaṃ ca viṣṇunā | bhaviṣyāmi tadā brahmaṃllakulī nāmanāmataḥ

Translation

ໂອ ພຣະພຣະຫມາ, ໃນເວລານັ້ນ ພ້ອມກັບເຈົ້າ ແລະພ້ອມກັບພຣະວິສນຸ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈະເຂົ້າໄປໃນຖ້ຳອັນທິບພະ ແລະອັນບຸນຂອງເຂົາເມຣຸ; ແລະທີ່ນັ້ນຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈະປາກົດໃນນາມ ‘ລະກຸລີ’.

Word by Word

• दिव्याम्: divine
• दिव्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (to ‘मेरुगुहाम्’)

• मेरु-गुहाम्: the cave of Meru
• मेरु-गुहाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक) + गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• पुण्याम्: holy
• पुण्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• त्वया: with you / by you
• त्वया: Saha (सह/साकं)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/सह (with)

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Saha (सह/साकं)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable meaning ‘together with’)

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

• विष्णुना: with Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Saha (सह/साकं)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सह (accompaniment)

• भविष्यामि: I shall become
• भविष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/लृट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन

• लकुली: Lakulin (name/title)
• लकुली: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लकुलिन्/लकुली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्ता (predicate nominative with ‘भविष्यामि’)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (quotative/‘by name’)

• नामतः: in name / as named
• नामतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), ‘as regards name/nominally’

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Meru-guhā functions as a trans-cosmic siddha-locus where Śiva declares an intentional manifestation as Lakulī, aligning with Pāśupata-avatāra traditions rather than a Jyotirliṅga origin.

Significance: Frames a paradigmatic ‘guru-manifestation’ site: the sanctity lies in transmission of Śaiva yoga/dīkṣā and lineage-founding grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Meru
• Lakulī

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that the Supreme Pati (Shiva) freely assumes a saguna form—here named Lakulī—to sanctify a sacred locus (Meru cave) and to guide even Brahmā and Viṣṇu, affirming Shiva’s supreme, compassionate governance over cosmic order and liberation.

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

By declaring a named manifestation (Lakulī), the text supports saguna upāsanā: devotees may approach Shiva through concrete forms, sacred places, and narratives while recognizing that such forms point to the same transcendent Lord worshipped as the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is smaraṇa (devotional remembrance) of Shiva’s divine manifestations while japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and, where traditional, Linga-pūjā with vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and devotion.