Shloka 23

एकोनविंशतिशिवावतारवर्णनम्

Description of the Nineteen Manifestations/Avatāras of Śiva

Devanagari script

एकोनविंशे व्यासस्तु भरद्वाजो महामुनिः । तदाप्यहं भविष्यामि जटी माली च नामतः

Transliteration

ekonaviṃśe vyāsastu bharadvājo mahāmuniḥ | tadāpyahaṃ bhaviṣyāmi jaṭī mālī ca nāmataḥ

Translation

एकोनविंशे व्यासस्तु भरद्वाजो महामुनिः । तदाप्यहं भविष्यामि जटी माली च नामतः ॥

Word by Word

• ekonaviṃśe: in the nineteenth (generation/age)
• ekonaviṃśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekonaviṃśati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग? here locative: सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (ordinal sense) 'in the nineteenth'

• vyāsaḥ: Vyāsa
• vyāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• tu: indeed, but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (particle: 'but/indeed')

• bharadvājaḥ: Bharadvāja
• bharadvājaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharadvāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• mahāmuniḥ: great sage
• mahāmuniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahāmuni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; महा + मुनि (कर्मधारय)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-प्रत्ययार्थक सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• bhaviṣyāmi: will be
• bhaviṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• jaṭī: matted-haired (ascetic)
• jaṭī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṭin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'one with matted hair'

• mālī: garlanded
• mālī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'garlanded'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• nāmataḥ: by name, in name
• nāmataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विशेषणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāmatas (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), प्रकार/हेतु: 'by name/as to name'

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: parivarta (cyclic age-turning) with Vyāsa-successions; Śiva’s self-manifestation across cycles

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bharadvaja
• Vyasa

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva’s ongoing, compassionate self-manifestation across cycles of time to protect dharma and guide beings—showing Pati (Shiva) as the ever-present Lord who appears in forms suited to the age.

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

By naming specific visible forms (Jaṭī, Mālī), the text affirms Saguna Shiva—Shiva approachable through attributes, signs, and devotional relationship—while remaining the same transcendent Lord worshipped as the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The markers “jaṭī” and “mālī” point to Shaiva sādhana: living with ascetic discipline, wearing sacred malas (often Rudraksha), and maintaining steady japa—especially of the Panchakshara mantra, Om Namaḥ Śivāya.