Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

शार्दूलचर्मवसना किंचिद्विहसितानना । वरदाभयहस्ता च मृगटंकधरा तथा

Transliteration

śārdūlacarmavasanā kiṃcidvihasitānanā | varadābhayahastā ca mṛgaṭaṃkadharā tathā

Translation

ती व्याघ्रचर्माचे वस्त्र परिधान करून होती; मुखावर मंद, कोमल हास्य होते. एका हाताने वर देत आणि दुसऱ्या हाताने अभय देत, तसेच मृगचिन्हही धारण करीत होती.

Word by Word

• शार्दूलचर्म-वसनā: wearing a tiger-skin garment
• शार्दूलचर्म-वसनā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + वसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (describing the goddess)

• किञ्चित्: slightly/a little
• किञ्चित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अल्पत्वबोधक (adverbial ‘slightly’)

• विहसित-आनना: with a gently smiling face
• विहसित-आनना: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-√हस् (धातु) → विहसित (कृदन्त) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• वरद-अभय-हस्ता: having hands granting boons and fearlessness
• वरद-अभय-हस्ता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरद (प्रातिपदिक) + अभय (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• मृगटंक-धरा: bearing a deer-mark/antelope-emblem
• मृगटंक-धरा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृगटंक (प्रातिपदिक) + √धृ (धातु) → धर (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारबोधक (adverb: ‘likewise/also’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Dhyāna on the benign-yet-protective Śakti aspect is presented as a direct aid for removing fear (abhaya) and receiving boons (vara), preparing the paśu for Śiva’s anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse presents the Devi’s sāttvika, protective presence—boon-giving and fear-removing—showing how devotion to Shiva’s Śakti loosens pāśa (bondage) and steadies the pashu (bound soul) toward grace and liberation.

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

It supports Saguna upāsanā: devotees contemplate divine attributes (smile, gestures of boon and fearlessness, sacred emblems) as a doorway to the deeper reality of Shiva. In Shaiva Siddhanta, such form-based worship matures the mind for realizing Pati (Shiva) beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Dhyāna (visual meditation) on the compassionate, protective Devi—combining it with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and a prayer for abhaya (fearlessness) and śaraṇāgati (surrender).