Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

शिलादोऽपि च मां दृष्ट्वा कालसूर्य्यानलप्रभम् । त्र्यक्षं चतुर्भुजं बालं जटामुकुटधारिणम्

Transliteration

śilādo'pi ca māṃ dṛṣṭvā kālasūryyānalaprabham | tryakṣaṃ caturbhujaṃ bālaṃ jaṭāmukuṭadhāriṇam

Translation

ശിലാദനും എന്നെ കണ്ടു—കാലം, സൂര്യൻ, അഗ്നി എന്നിവപോലെ ദീപ്തിമാൻ; ത്രിനേത്രനും ചതുര്ഭുജനും ആയ ബാലൻ, ജടാമുകുടം ധരിച്ചവൻ.

Word by Word

• शिलादः: Śilāda
• शिलादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिलाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• काल-सूर्य-अनल-प्रभम्: having the radiance of Time, the Sun, and Fire
• काल-सूर्य-अनल-प्रभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (उपमान/सादृश्यार्थ: काल-सूर्य-अनलवत् प्रभा यस्य) — व्यवहारतः ‘कालसूर्यानलप्रभ’ इति विशेषण

• त्रि-अक्षम्: three-eyed
• त्रि-अक्षम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि अक्षाणि यस्य)

• चतुर्-भुजम्: four-armed
• चतुर्-भुजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (चत्वारो भुजाः यस्य)

• बालम्: a boy; youthful
• बालम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; माम् इत्यस्य/दृश्य-वस्तुनः विशेषण

• जटा-मुकुट-धारिणम्: wearing a crown of matted hair
• जटा-मुकुट-धारिणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक) + मुकुट (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (उपपद/षष्ठीभाव: जटाया मुकुटं धारयति इति/जटा-मुकुटं धारयति इति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Darśana of Śiva in a paradoxical form—childlike yet blazing like Kāla, Sūrya, and Agni—echoes the Purāṇic motif that the infinite Lord assumes approachable forms for devotees while retaining transcendent majesty.

Significance: Encourages bhakta-darśana: the Lord may appear in unexpected forms (bāla-rūpa) to grant intimacy while revealing cosmic sovereignty (kāla-tejas).

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Kāla-tejas imagery (Time as cosmic principle) invoked metaphorically

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shilada

FAQs

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

It highlights that the infinite Pati (Lord Shiva) compassionately reveals Himself in a graspable, saguna form—yet with cosmic signs (Time, sun, fire)—so the devotee’s bhakti can mature into liberating knowledge.

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

Though Shiva is ultimately beyond form (nirguṇa), this verse affirms saguna-darśana: Shiva can be worshipped as a personal Lord with attributes; such worship naturally supports linga-upāsanā by fixing the mind on Shiva as the supreme reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva’s tri-netra (three-eyed) presence and repeat the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” visualizing His fiery, sun-like brilliance while maintaining purity with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and steady devotion.