Shloka 52

प्रकृतितत्त्व-विचारः / Inquiry into Prakṛti (Nature/Śakti) and Śiva’s Transcendence

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इति संचिन्त्य भूतेशो द्रुतं ध्यानसमाश्रितः । महयोगीश्वरोऽभूद्वै महालीलाकरः प्रभुः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | iti saṃcintya bhūteśo drutaṃ dhyānasamāśritaḥ | mahayogīśvaro'bhūdvai mahālīlākaraḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

బ్రహ్ముడు పలికెను—ఇలా ఆలోచించి భూతేశుడు (శివుడు) వెంటనే ధ్యానంలో లీనుడయ్యాడు; ప్రభువు నిజంగా మహాయోగీశ్వరుడై మహాలీలాకర్త అయ్యాడు।

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इत्यर्थक-अव्यय)

• saṃcintya: having thought
• saṃcintya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam+cit (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having reflected/considered'

• bhūteśaḥ: Lord of beings (Śiva)
• bhūteśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'bhūtānām īśaḥ'

• drutam: quickly
• drutam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: druta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया-एकवचन)

• dhyāna-samāśritaḥ: resorted to meditation
• dhyāna-samāśritaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + sam+āśrita (कृदन्त; सम्+आ+श्रि)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); adjective of bhūteśaḥ; तत्पुरुष: 'dhyānam samāśritaḥ' = 'having resorted to meditation'

• mahā-yogīśvaraḥ: the great lord of yogis
• mahā-yogīśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + yogīśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: 'mahān yogīśvaraḥ'

• abhūt: became/was
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, Aorist), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• mahā-līlā-karaḥ: performer of great divine play
• mahā-līlā-karaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + līlā (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'mahā līlā yasyāḥ saḥ karoti/karakaḥ' in sense 'doer of great play'

• prabhuḥ: the Lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

The verse presents Śiva as Bhūteśa who, by immediate inward turning, abides in dhyāna and reveals His nature as Mahāyogīśvara—showing that supreme lordship is expressed through perfect inner mastery, and His actions are mahā-līlā, a compassionate divine play guiding beings toward liberation.

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

By naming Him Bhūteśa and Prabhu, the text points to Saguna Śiva approachable in devotion (including Liṅga worship), while emphasizing that His form and acts arise from yogic stillness—encouraging devotees to unite external worship with internal meditation on Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct takeaway is dhyāna: promptly entering meditation on Lord Śiva. Practically, one may sit in steady posture, mentally repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and contemplate Śiva as the inner Lord (Bhūteśa) while maintaining purity through simple Śaiva disciplines such as bhasma and mantra-japa where appropriate.