Shloka 10

Śivāṣṭamūrti-varṇanam

Description of Shiva’s Eight Forms

Devanagari script

सन्दीपयञ्जगत्सर्वं दिवाकरसमाह्वयम् । ईशानाख्यं महेशस्य रूपं दिवि विसर्पति

Transliteration

sandīpayañjagatsarvaṃ divākarasamāhvayam | īśānākhyaṃ maheśasya rūpaṃ divi visarpati

Translation

Iluminando todo o universo, a forma semelhante ao sol, assim chamada, espalha-se pelos céus. Esta é a forma Īśāna de Mahādeva, expandindo-se no reino celeste.

Word by Word

• सन्दीपयन्: illuminating
• सन्दीपयन्: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + दीप् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘प्रदीपयन्/उज्ज्वालयन्’ (illuminating)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘जगत्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दिवाकरसमाह्वयम्: called ‘Divākara’ (Sun)
• दिवाकरसमाह्वयम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिवाकर + समाह्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (determinative)

• ईशानाख्यम्: named ‘Īśāna’
• ईशानाख्यम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईशान + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (determinative)

• महेशस्य: of Mahēśa
• महेशस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• रूपम्: the form
• रूपम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे—स्थानाधिकरण (locative)

• विसर्पति: spreads, pervades
• विसर्पति: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + सृप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; it presents Īśāna as a solar, heaven-pervading illumination principle—cosmic revelation and ordering light.

Significance: Encourages dawn/solar contemplation of Īśāna as the revealer of knowledge (prakāśa) and the dispeller of inner darkness.

Mantra Metadata

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Mahādeva’s Īśāna aspect as cosmic illumination—Shiva as Pati, whose conscious radiance dispels ignorance and reveals the path to liberation (moksha) in a Shaiva Siddhanta sense.

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

By describing a definite, radiant form of Shiva (Saguna), it supports Linga-worship as a focused means to approach the formless (Nirguna) reality—devotees contemplate Shiva’s light as present in the Linga and in the cosmos.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Dhyāna on Shiva as inner light: while repeating the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), visualize Īśāna as a sun-like radiance pervading the heart and the heavens, offering that awareness in Linga-puja with purity and steadiness.