Shloka 28

Vaiśyanātha-avatāra-kathā

The Account of Śiva’s Manifestation as Vaiśyanātha

Devanagari script

वैश्यनाथ उवाच । इदं रत्नमयं लिंगं शैवं मत्प्राणदवल्ल भम् । रक्षणीयं त्वया कान्ते गोपनीयं प्रयत्नतः

Transliteration

vaiśyanātha uvāca | idaṃ ratnamayaṃ liṃgaṃ śaivaṃ matprāṇadavalla bham | rakṣaṇīyaṃ tvayā kānte gopanīyaṃ prayatnataḥ

Translation

വൈശ്യനാഥൻ പറഞ്ഞു—പ്രിയേ, ഈ രത്നമയ ശൈവലിംഗം എനിക്ക് പ്രാണസമം പ്രിയമാണ്. നീ ഇതിനെ സംരക്ഷിക്കണം; പരമശ്രമത്തോടെ മറച്ചുവെക്കണം।

Word by Word

• vaiśyanāthaḥ: Vaiśyanātha
• vaiśyanāthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśyanātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः वैश्यस्य नाथः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ratnamayam: made of jewels
• ratnamayam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ratna + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः रत्नमयम् (तत्पुरुष/उपपद-निर्मित)

• liṅgam: liṅga
• liṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• śaivam: Śaiva, pertaining to Śiva
• śaivam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• mat-prāṇa-da-vallabham: dear to my life-giver / dear as my very life
• mat-prāṇa-da-vallabham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mat (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + da (धातु/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + vallabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः मत्प्राणदवल्लभम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मम प्राणदस्य वल्लभम्)

• rakṣaṇīyam: to be protected
• rakṣaṇīyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थे), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be protected’

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• kānte: O beloved
• kānte: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• gopanīyam: to be kept secret
• gopanīyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gup (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (अनीयर्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be concealed/kept secret’

• prayatnataḥ: with effort, carefully
• prayatnataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), क्रियाविशेषण

Speaker

Vaiśyanātha

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It presents the Śiva-liṅga as a living center of devotion—so precious that it is compared to one’s own prāṇa—teaching that bhakti requires reverent protection and disciplined care of sacred supports of worship.

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

The verse emphasizes saguna-upāsanā through the Liṅga as a tangible form for devotion; honoring it through protection and discretion strengthens steadiness (niṣṭhā) and reverence in Śiva-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies careful daily observance—keeping the Liṅga in a pure, protected space and maintaining confidentiality about one’s sacred worship—supporting focused japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and uninterrupted pūjā.