Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

यश्चिन्तयति पुण्यात्मा तव पादाम्बुजद्वयम् । ब्रह्महत्याकृतमपि पापन्तस्य व्रजेत्क्षयम्

Transliteration

yaścintayati puṇyātmā tava pādāmbujadvayam | brahmahatyākṛtamapi pāpantasya vrajetkṣayam

Translation

Тот чистый душой, кто созерцает Твои два лотосных стопа, — даже грех, рожденный убийством брахмана (brahmahatyā), у него уничтожается и приходит к концу.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• चिन्तयति: contemplates
• चिन्तयति: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पुण्य-आत्मा: a virtuous-souled person
• पुण्य-आत्मा: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (whose self is pure/virtuous)

• तव: of you
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• पाद-अम्बुज-द्वयम्: the pair of (your) lotus-feet
• पाद-अम्बुज-द्वयम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पादाम्बुज = lotus-feet) + द्वय (pair)

• ब्रह्म-हत्या-कृतम्: (sin) committed as brahma-hatyā
• ब्रह्म-हत्या-कृतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हत्या (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृ धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) एकवचन (पापम् इति अनुवर्तते); तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्महत्या = killing of a brāhmaṇa) + कृत (done/committed)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: would go
• व्रजेत्: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• क्षयम्: to destruction
• क्षयम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s glory to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Pāda-dhyāna is taught as an efficacious prāyaścitta: even brahmahatyā-doṣa is said to be destroyed by devotion, emphasizing Śiva’s grace over the gravest pāśa.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere remembrance and contemplation of Shiva (Pati) purifies the bound soul (paśu) from even the gravest karmic stains, because Shiva’s grace dissolves bondage (pāśa) when devotion becomes one-pointed.

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

Meditating on Shiva’s “lotus feet” is a Saguna focus that steadies the mind; in Shaiva practice this is supported by Linga-worship, where the devotee offers reverence outwardly while cultivating inner contemplation that leads toward Shiva’s liberating grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with dhyāna on Shiva’s feet, combined with traditional Shaiva disciplines such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as aids for steadiness and repentance.