Shloka 5

Daśa-Śivāvatāra-Nirūpaṇa

Enumeration of Ten Prime Manifestations of Śiva with Their Śaktis

Devanagari script

श्रीविद्येशः षोडशाह्वः श्रीर्विद्या षोडशी शिवा । चतुर्थो भक्त सुखदो भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदः

Transliteration

śrīvidyeśaḥ ṣoḍaśāhvaḥ śrīrvidyā ṣoḍaśī śivā | caturtho bhakta sukhado bhuktimuktiphalapradaḥ

Translation

‘ஸ்ரீவித்யேசன்’ எனப்படும் இறைவன் ‘ஷோடசன்’ என்றும் புகழ்பெற்றவர்; அவரே ஸ்ரீவித்யை, ஷோடசி சக்தி, மங்களமயி சிவா. அவர் நான்காவது வெளிப்பாடு—பக்தர்க்கு இன்பம் அருள்வோர், போகமும் மோட்சமும் ஆகிய இரு பயன்களையும் அளிப்போர்.

Word by Word

• śrīvidyeśaḥ: Lord of Śrīvidyā (Śrīvidyeśa)
• śrīvidyeśaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-vidyā-īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (श्रीविद्यायाः ईशः) — Nominative singular, masculine

• ṣoḍaśa-āhvaḥ: called Ṣoḍaśa
• ṣoḍaśa-āhvaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + āhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षोडश इति आह्वः) — Nominative singular, masculine; 'named Sixteen'

• śrīḥ: Śrī (Lakṣmī/auspicious power)
• śrīḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular, feminine

• vidyā: Vidyā
• vidyā: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular, feminine

• ṣoḍaśī: sixteenfold / the Sixteenth
• ṣoḍaśī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रम/संख्यावाचक विशेषण — Nominative singular, feminine

• śivā: Śivā
• śivā: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular, feminine

• caturthaḥ: fourth
• caturthaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular, masculine

• bhakta: devotee
• bhakta: Sambandha/Apposition (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta (कृदन्त; √bhaj भज्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular, masculine; 'devotee' (or adjectival 'devoted')

• sukha-daḥ: giver of happiness
• sukha-daḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सुखं ददाति) — Nominative singular, masculine

• bhukti-mukti-phala-pradaḥ: bestower of the fruits of enjoyment and liberation
• bhukti-mukti-phala-pradaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhukti (प्रातिपदिक) + mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समास (भुक्तिमुक्त्योः फलानि प्रददाति) — Nominative singular, masculine

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating the Śiva Purāṇa to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti (Śivā/Śrīvidyā)

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as Śrīvidyeśa, inseparable from Śrīvidyā-Śakti, showing that true devotion to Shiva grants both right-being in the world (bhukti) and the supreme end of liberation (mukti).

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

By naming a specific form—Śrīvidyeśa—this verse supports Saguna upāsanā: devotees approach Shiva through a definite name and power (Śrīvidyā/Ṣoḍaśī), which can be worshipped through the Liṅga as the accessible embodiment of Pati united with Śakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Bhakti-centered japa and pūjā to Shiva with awareness of Śakti—such as steady Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Liṅga worship—aimed at both dharmic well-being and inner release.