Shloka 2

Viśvānara-Gṛhapati Upākhyāna — Śivasya Agni-gṛhe Avatāraḥ

The Account of Viśvānara Gṛhapati and Śiva’s Descent into the House of Fire

Devanagari script

नाम्ना गृहपतिः सोऽभूदग्निलोकपतिर्मुने । अग्निरूपस्तेजसश्च सर्व्वात्मा परमः प्रभुः

Transliteration

nāmnā gṛhapatiḥ so'bhūdagnilokapatirmune | agnirūpastejasaśca sarvvātmā paramaḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

О мудрец, он стал известен под именем Грихапати — владыка мира Огня. Он — сама форма Агни и сияние теджаса; воистину, внутренний Атман всех существ, Верховный Господь.

Word by Word

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; adverbial-instrumental usage ‘by name’

• गृहपतिः: the house-lord (Gṛhapati)
• गृहपतिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गृहस्य पतिः

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अग्निलोकपतिः: lord of Agni’s world
• अग्निलोकपतिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि + लोक + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अग्निलोकस्य पतिः

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• अग्निरूपः: fire-formed
• अग्निरूपः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अग्नेः रूपः/अग्निरूपः ‘having the form of fire’

• तेजसः: of splendor
• तेजसः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वात्मा: the soul of all
• सर्वात्मा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: सर्वः आत्मा यस्य/सर्वात्मा ‘the all-self’

• परमः: supreme
• परमः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रभुः: lord
• प्रभुः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara

Sthala Purana: The narrative identifies Śiva’s manifestation with an Agni-loka lordship epithet (Gṛhapati), linking the Narmadā-kṣetra episode to a cosmic-fire theology: Śiva as the inner fire (tejas) and indwelling Self (sarvātmā).

Significance: Pilgrims contemplate Śiva as both transcendent Lord and immanent sarvātmā; the teaching supports seeing the liṅga and the sacred river-landscape as pervaded by Śiva’s tejas.

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni
• Grihapati

FAQs

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

It identifies Shiva as the Supreme Lord who can manifest as the fiery cosmic principle (Agni) while remaining the Sarvātmā—the indwelling Self of all—pointing the seeker toward liberation through recognizing Shiva’s presence within all beings.

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

By describing Shiva as ‘Agnirūpa’ and ‘Tejas,’ the verse supports Saguna contemplation—worshipping Shiva as divine light and power—commonly symbolized by the Linga as the axis of consciousness and the radiant presence of Pati (the Lord) in the world.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as inner light (tejas) while repeating the Panchakshara mantra ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’; in ritual, offer a lamp (dīpa) or fire-oblation in a Shiva-centered spirit, maintaining Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa as reminders of Shiva’s all-pervading lordship.