Shloka 21

नन्दिकेशावतारवर्णनम् (Nandikeśa Avatāra Varṇanam) — “Account of the Descent/Origin of Nandikeśvara”

Devanagari script

निर्मांसरुधिर त्वग्वै बिले तस्मिन्नवस्थितः । अस्थिशेषोभवत्पश्चाच्छिलादो मुनिसत्तमः

Transliteration

nirmāṃsarudhira tvagvai bile tasminnavasthitaḥ | asthiśeṣobhavatpaścācchilādo munisattamaḥ

Translation

ആ ഗുഹയിൽ തന്നെ പാർത്തു, മുനിശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ ശിലാദൻ മാംസം, രക്തം, ത്വക്ക് എന്നിവ ഇല്ലാത്തവനായി; പിന്നീടവനിൽ അസ്ഥിശേഷം മാത്രമേ ശേഷിച്ചുള്ളൂ.

Word by Word

• निर्मांस: without flesh
• निर्मांस: विशेषण (त्वक्-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/उपसर्गपूर्वक विशेषणार्थ (nir- ‘without’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासपद as qualifier)

• रुधिर: blood (i.e., without blood)
• रुधिर: विशेषण (त्वक्-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुधिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; used adjectivally with निर्मांस

• त्वक्: skin
• त्वक्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• बिले: in the cave/hole
• बिले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular

• अवस्थितः: remaining/staying
• अवस्थितः: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/कर्तरि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifying (शिलादः)

• अस्थिशेषः: reduced to bones
• अस्थिशेषः: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अस्थि-शेषः ‘only bones remaining’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• शिलादः: Śilāda
• शिलादः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिलाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुनिसत्तमः: the best of sages
• मुनिसत्तमः: समानााधिकरण (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मुनीनां सत्तमः ‘best of sages’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to शिलादः

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse depicts Śilāda’s extreme tapas in a cave culminating in bodily dissolution, setting the stage for Śiva’s grace.

Significance: Paradigm of vairāgya and tapas: the paśu’s embodied limitation is exhausted, preparing receptivity for anugraha.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Śilāda

FAQs

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

It highlights radical dispassion and one-pointed tapas: the sage’s identification with the body is stripped away, pointing to the Shaiva aim of transcending pasha (bondage) and seeking Shiva’s grace as the true liberator.

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

Such austerity is presented as preparation for Shiva’s manifestation and favor; in Shaiva practice, devotion to Saguna Shiva (often through Linga-upasana) is strengthened when the seeker abandons bodily attachment and turns wholly toward the Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is steadfast japa and meditation with renunciation—especially Shiva-mantra remembrance (such as the Panchakshara) and disciplined tapas—rather than a specific external rite in this single verse.