Shloka 24

शिवानुकम्पा, ब्रह्मणो निर्भयत्वं च (Śiva’s Compassion and Brahmā’s Fearlessness)

Devanagari script

संवर्तकस्तथावर्त्तः पुष्करो द्रोण एव च । एते चतुर्विधास्तात महामेघा लयंकराः

Transliteration

saṃvartakastathāvarttaḥ puṣkaro droṇa eva ca | ete caturvidhāstāta mahāmeghā layaṃkarāḥ

Translation

“സംവർതക, ആവർത്ത, പുഷ്കര, ദ്രോണം—പ്രിയനേ! ഇവ നാലുവിധ മഹാമേഘങ്ങൾ; ലയം (പ്രളയം) വരുത്തുന്നവർ.”

Word by Word

• संवर्तकः: Saṃvartaka (a name/type of cloud)
• संवर्तकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवर्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: and/also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• आवर्त्तः: Āvarta (a name/type of cloud)
• आवर्त्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवर्त्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुष्करः: Puṣkara (a name/type of cloud)
• पुष्करः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्रोणः: Droṇa (a name/type of cloud)
• द्रोणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), निपात (Particle/emphatic)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), समुच्चयबोधक (Conjunction)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• चतुर्विधाः: fourfold/of four kinds
• चतुर्विधाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective) of ‘महामेघाः’; समास: चतुर् + विध (तत्पुरुष)

• तात: O dear one/son
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• महामेघाः: great clouds
• महामेघाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामेघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समास: महा + मेघ (कर्मधारय)

• लयङ्कराः: causing dissolution/destruction
• लयङ्कराः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लयङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective) of ‘महामेघाः’; समास: लय + कर (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Kalatnaka

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: pralaya-cloud typology (saṃvartaka-megha)

FAQs

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

It highlights that dissolution (laya) is part of the divinely ordered cosmic cycle; in Shaiva understanding, all manifest forms withdraw back toward the Lord’s supreme ground, encouraging dispassion and remembrance of Shiva as the stable Reality beyond change.

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

By describing forces of dissolution, the text contrasts the perishable cosmos with Shiva’s abiding presence; Linga-worship centers the mind on the eternal Pati (Lord) who remains when names and forms dissolve.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is contemplative japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while reflecting on impermanence, strengthening vairāgya and turning devotion toward Shiva rather than transient worldly supports.