Shloka 18

भैरवावतारलीलावर्णनम् (Bhairava-avatāra-līlā-varṇanam) — “Narration of the Divine Play of Bhairava’s Descent”

Devanagari script

धिग्धिक्पदन्तु देवानां परं दृष्ट्वा न शंकरम् । लभ्यते यत्र निर्वाणं सर्व दुःखान्तकृत्तु यत्

Transliteration

dhigdhikpadantu devānāṃ paraṃ dṛṣṭvā na śaṃkaram | labhyate yatra nirvāṇaṃ sarva duḥkhāntakṛttu yat

Translation

Vergonha para esse chamado “estado supremo” dos deuses, se é alcançado sem contemplar Śaṅkara. Pois é n’Ele que se obtém o Nirvāṇa—Ele que verdadeiramente põe fim a todo sofrimento.

Word by Word

• dhik: fie!
• dhik: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhik (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात) — nindā/garhaṇā (censure)

• dhik: fie again!
• dhik: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhik (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात) — repetition for emphasis

• padam: state/position (goal)
• padam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात) — contrast/emphasis

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• param: supreme
• param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम्—(implied) ‘padam’

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (क्त्वा), Absolutive (ल्यबन्त/अव्ययकृदन्त)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Pratiṣedha-nipāta (प्रतिषेध-निपात)

• śaṅkaram: Śaṅkara
• śaṅkaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• labhyate: is obtained
• labhyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्), Present, Ātmanepada; Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Singular; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (देश-अव्यय) — relative adverb ‘where’

• nirvāṇam: liberation / nirvāṇa
• nirvāṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirvāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarva-duḥkha-anta-kṛt: ending all suffering
• sarva-duḥkha-anta-kṛt: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛt (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, from √kṛ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम्—(implied) ‘padam/nirvāṇam’

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात) — emphasis

• yat: that (state) which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); correlating with ‘yatra’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s supremacy to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific jyotirliṅga episode; the verse universalizes the principle that liberation (nirvāṇa/mokṣa) is obtained only through Śaṅkara’s grace and presence.

Significance: Reorients ‘highest heaven’ (deva-pada) as inferior to śiva-sannidhi; motivates pilgrimage/temple-darśana as a means to seek anugraha leading to mokṣa.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse declares that even the “highest” divine attainments are incomplete if they exclude Śaṅkara; true Nirvāṇa is found in the grace and realization of Shiva, the Pati who ends all duḥkha (bondage-born suffering).

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

It supports Saguna upāsanā as a direct doorway to the highest: beholding Śaṅkara through Linga-darśana and devoted worship leads the soul from limited heavenly attainments toward Shiva’s liberating presence (Nirvāṇa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prioritize Śiva-darśana and remembrance: daily Linga worship with Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and a bhakti-focused contemplation on Śaṅkara as the remover of all suffering.