Shloka 49

वीरभद्र-भैरव-आह्वानम् — Invocation of Vīrabhadra/Bhairava for Cosmic Reabsorption

Devanagari script

अद्यापि तव निक्षिप्तं कपालं कूर्मरूपिणः । हर हारलतामध्ये दग्धः कश्चिन्न बध्यते

Transliteration

adyāpi tava nikṣiptaṃ kapālaṃ kūrmarūpiṇaḥ | hara hāralatāmadhye dagdhaḥ kaścinna badhyate

Translation

ഇന്നും നീ എറിഞ്ഞ ആ കപാലം—കൂർമരൂപം ധരിച്ചവന്റെത്—ഹരൻ (ശിവൻ) ധരിക്കുന്ന ഹാരലതയുടെ നടുവിൽ തന്നെയുണ്ട്. ശിവതേജസ്സാൽ ദഗ്ധമായതിനാൽ അതാൽ ആരും ബന്ധിതരാകുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

• adya: today/now
• adya: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• api: even/still
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि = 'also/even/still'

• tava: of you/your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (singular), सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• nikṣiptam: thrown/placed
• nikṣiptam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-√kṣip (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nom/acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• kapālam: skull
• kapālam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• kūrma-rūpiṇaḥ: of the one having the form of a tortoise
• kūrma-rūpiṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūrma (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): kūrmasya rūpī; पुंलिङ्ग (masc), षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• hara: O Hara (Śiva)
• hara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• hāra-latā-madhye: in the middle of the garland-creeper (i.e., within the necklace/garland)
• hāra-latā-madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hāra (प्रातिपदिक) + latā (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (locative compound base): hārasya latā = hāralatā; तस्य मध्ये; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter) madhya, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• dagdhaḥ: burnt
• dagdhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dah (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• kaścit: someone/anyone
• kaścit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaścit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• badhyate: is bound/is caught
• badhyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bandh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhikṣāṭana

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Alludes to skull (kapāla) imagery associated with Śiva’s ascetic/kapālika motifs; not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga in this verse.

Significance: Contemplation on the burning of impurity: Śiva’s power ‘burns’ binding factors; remembrance supports vairāgya and surrender to the Lord who destroys pāśa.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Hara)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva (Hara) as Pati—the Lord who burns impurity and bondage (pāśa). What is “burned” by Śiva’s power no longer binds the soul, pointing to liberation through divine grace rather than mere worldly fear or taboo.

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

By naming Hara and describing his ornament/garland as the locus where the binding force is neutralized, the verse supports Saguna Śiva-bhakti: approaching Śiva in form (as the worshipped Lord) who actively destroys karmic bondage—an idea central to Linga-worship and Shaiva Siddhanta devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to meditate on Śiva as the “burner of bonds” while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and to cultivate inner purity (śuddhi) as the true aim of worship—especially fitting for Mahāśivarātri observance.