Shloka 5

शिवस्यार्द्धनारीनरावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Ardhanārī-nara Manifestation

Devanagari script

प्रभावेण विना शंभोर्न जायेरन्निमाः प्रजाः । एवं संचिन्तयन्ब्रह्मा तपः कर्त्तुं प्रचक्रमे

Transliteration

prabhāveṇa vinā śaṃbhorna jāyerannimāḥ prajāḥ | evaṃ saṃcintayanbrahmā tapaḥ karttuṃ pracakrame

Translation

Brahmā merenung: “Tanpa daya dan rahmat Śambhu, makhluk-makhluk ini tidak akan lahir.” Dengan fikiran demikian, baginda pun memulakan tapas (pertapaan/askese) untuk memperoleh sokongan ilahi bagi penciptaan.

Word by Word

• प्रभावेण: by (his) power
• प्रभावेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गार्थक-अव्यय/पूर्वपद-निपातः; वियोगार्थे (without)

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• जायेरन्: would be born/arise
• जायेरन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (potential/optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• इमाः: these
• इमाः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies ‘prajāḥ’)

• प्रजाः: creatures/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/in this manner)

• संचिन्तयन्: thinking/reflecting
• संचिन्तयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्त्तुम्: to do/perform
• कर्त्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive; प्रयोजनार्थे

• प्रचक्रमे: set about/began
• प्रचक्रमे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the account of Brahma within the Shatarudra Samhita context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: transition from stalled sarga to tapas as the catalytic act for divine sanction

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It asserts that creation is not merely mechanical: without Śiva’s prabhāva (sovereign potency and grace), beings cannot arise. Brahmā’s tapas symbolizes the soul’s dependence on Pati (Śiva) and the necessity of divine anugraha for any true manifestation and fulfillment.

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

By acknowledging Śambhu as the enabling power behind creation, the verse supports Saguna worship—approaching Śiva through accessible forms like the Liṅga to receive grace. Liṅga-pūjā becomes a concrete way to seek the same prabhāva that Brahmā seeks through austerity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is tapas supported by japa and devotion—especially Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and disciplined worship of Śiva (including simple Liṅga-abhiṣeka), undertaken to align oneself with Śiva’s grace.