Shloka 40

नन्दिकेश्वरोत्पत्तिः — Nandikesvara’s Origin, Shiva’s Boons, and the Rise of Sacred Rivers

Devanagari script

त्रिस्रोतसं नदीं दृष्ट्वा वृषः परमहर्षितः ननाद नादात्तस्माच्च सरिदन्या ततो ऽभवत्

Transliteration

trisrotasaṃ nadīṃ dṛṣṭvā vṛṣaḥ paramaharṣitaḥ nanāda nādāttasmācca saridanyā tato 'bhavat

Translation

त्रिस्रोतसं नदीं दृष्ट्वा वृषः परमहर्षितः; तस्य नादात् ततः परं सरिदन्या समभवत्।

Word by Word

• त्रिस्रोतसम्: three-streamed

• नदीम्: river

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen

• वृषः: the Bull (Vṛṣa

• परमहर्षितः: exceedingly rejoiced

• ननाद: bellowed/roared

• नादात्: from the sound/bellow

• तस्मात्: from that

• च: and

• सरित्: river/stream

• अन्या: another

• ततः: then/thereafter

• अभवत्: arose/came to be

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vṛṣa (Bull as dharma/Śiva-symbol)
• Sacred River (Trisrotas)

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It links tīrtha (sacred rivers) with Śiva’s presence: dharma-symbolized as Vṛṣa responds to a holy river, and Śiva’s auspicious power is shown as generating further sanctity—supporting river-side Linga installation, abhiṣeka, and tīrtha-snāna as Linga-pūjā auxiliaries.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva-tattva is suggested as creative śabda-śakti: from the divine sound (nāda) arises manifestation. As Pati, Śiva is the source from whom sacred forms (like rivers/tīrthas) emerge to purify the paśu and loosen pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse supports tīrtha-snāna and nāda-oriented contemplation: approaching rivers as Śiva-kṣetra for Linga-pūjā, and meditating on nāda (inner sound) as a Pāśupata-aligned aid to purification and dharma-stability.