Shloka 52

अत्रीश्वरमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् (Atrīśvara-māhātmya-varṇanam) — “Account of the Greatness of Atrīśvara”

Devanagari script

अथ तौ दम्पती शंभुमभूतां सुन्दराकृतिम् । पञ्चवक्त्रादिसंयुक्तं हरं प्रेक्ष्य सुविस्मितौ

Transliteration

atha tau dampatī śaṃbhumabhūtāṃ sundarākṛtim | pañcavaktrādisaṃyuktaṃ haraṃ prekṣya suvismitau

Translation

अथ तौ दम्पती शंभुमभूतां सुन्दराकृतिम् । पञ्चवक्त्रादिसंयुक्तं हरं प्रेक्ष्य सुविस्मितौ ॥

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• दम्पती: the couple
• दम्पती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्पती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; दम्पती-शब्दः (husband and wife as a pair)

• शम्भुम्: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अभूताम्: they became
• अभूताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• सुन्दर-आकृतिम्: of beautiful form
• सुन्दर-आकृतिम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः; स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (शम्भुम्)

• पञ्च-वक्त्र-आदि-संयुक्तम्: endowed with five faces etc.
• पञ्च-वक्त्र-आदि-संयुक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्-युज् धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (आदि-समास सहित); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (हरम्)

• हरम्: Hara (Śiva)
• हरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• प्रेक्ष्य: having seen
• प्रेक्ष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive); ‘having looked at/after seeing’

• सु-विस्मितौ: greatly astonished
• सु-विस्मितौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + विस्मित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; विस्मि धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; विशेषणम् (तौ/दम्पती)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A vision (darśana) of Śambhu with pañcavaktra marks the sanctification of the tapas-grove; the episode functions as a local tīrtha-mahātmya rather than a Jyotirliṅga origin.

Significance: Darśana of pañcavaktra Śiva is framed as awe-producing and grace-bearing; visiting such a sthala is said to awaken bhakti and remove inner mala (impurity) through devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva’s compassionate accessibility in saguna form: sincere seekers are granted darśana of Hara, and that direct vision awakens reverent awe, a bhakti-born turning of consciousness toward liberation.

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

While the Jyotirliṅga is the aniconic, radiant sign of Śiva, the same Reality also reveals a personal form for devotees. Here Śambhu appears as Panchavaktra—showing that liṅga-worship culminates in living awareness of the Lord who the liṅga signifies.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna on Panchavaktra Śiva while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating steady devotion until inner darśana and humility arise.