Shloka 17

भैरवावतारवर्णनम् (Bhairavāvatāra-varṇanam) — “Description of the Descent/Manifestation of Bhairava”

Devanagari script

कर्ता वै सर्वलोकानां परमात्मा परः पुमान् । यज्ञो नारायणो देवो मायाधीशः परा गतिः

Transliteration

kartā vai sarvalokānāṃ paramātmā paraḥ pumān | yajño nārāyaṇo devo māyādhīśaḥ parā gatiḥ

Translation

स एव सर्वलोकानां कर्ता परमात्मा परः पुमान्। स यज्ञो नारायणो देवो मायाधीशः परा गतिः॥

Word by Word

• kartā: creator; doer
• kartā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kartṛ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ (कृ) + तृच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; agent noun

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• sarva-lokānām: of all worlds
• sarva-lokānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सर्वेषां लोकानाम् (of all worlds/beings)

• parama-ātmā: the Supreme Self
• parama-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता/appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—परमः आत्मा (the Supreme Self)

• paraḥ: supreme
• paraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• pumān: Person; Purusha
• pumān: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• yajñaḥ: sacrifice; Yajña
• yajñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; proper noun

• devaḥ: god; deity
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• māyā-adhīśaḥ: lord of māyā
• māyā-adhīśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhīśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—मायायाः अधीशः (lord over māyā)

• parā: supreme
• parā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• gatiḥ: goal; refuge
• gatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A syncretic supremacy formula: the highest Lord is kartā of all lokas and also called Yajña and Nārāyaṇa; in Śaiva reading, these are epithets subsumed under Śiva’s īśitṛtva and māyā-adhīśatva.

Significance: Encourages inclusive theism while maintaining the doctrine of one supreme refuge (parā gatiḥ); supports ekānta-bhakti to the highest Lord beyond sectarian naming.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Narayana

FAQs

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

It declares the Supreme Lord (understood in the Shatarudra context as Shiva/Rudra) as the creator, indwelling Self, master of Māyā, and the final refuge—teaching that liberation is attained by turning toward Him as the highest reality.

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

By calling the Lord the very ‘Yajña’ and the supreme goal, it supports Saguna worship—such as Linga-pūjā—as a complete spiritual path where ritual becomes a means to realize the transcendent (Para) Shiva beyond Māyā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Shiva-centered worship as inner and outer Yajña: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offering with devotion, and meditation on Shiva as the Paramātmā and Māyādhīśa who grants the highest gati (moksha).