Shloka 44

शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Pañcabrahma Avatāras

Devanagari script

ईशानाह्वस्वरूपो हि शंकरस्येश्वरः सदा । श्रोत्रस्य वचसश्चापि विभोर्व्योम्नस्तथैव च

Transliteration

īśānāhvasvarūpo hi śaṃkarasyeśvaraḥ sadā | śrotrasya vacasaścāpi vibhorvyomnastathaiva ca

Translation

నిశ్చయంగా శంకరుని ఈశ్వరుడు సదా ‘ఈశాన’ స్వరూపుడే. ఆయనే శ్రవణానికి, వాక్కుకు అధిదేవత; అలాగే సర్వవ్యాపి వ్యోమం (ఆకాశతత్త్వం)కూ అధిష్ఠాత.

Word by Word

• ईशानाह्वस्वरूपः: the form called Īśāna
• ईशानाह्वस्वरूपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान-आह्व-स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—(ईशान-आह्व)-स्वरूपः (तत्पुरुषः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—खलु/नूनम् (indeed)

• शंकरस्य: of Śaṅkara
• शंकरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ईश्वरः: the lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• श्रोत्रस्य: of the ear
• श्रोत्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वचसः: of speech
• वचसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक निपात (particle: also/even)

• विभोः: of the all-pervading lord
• विभोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• व्योम्नः: of the sky/space
• व्योम्नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/so)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: just/indeed)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (implicit pañcabrahma/īśāna-gāyatrī stream; not quoted in verse)

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Ishana

FAQs

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

The verse identifies Īśāna as Shiva’s ever-present sovereign aspect and shows Him as the inner ruler of sense-power (hearing) and expressive power (speech), as well as the subtle element of space—teaching that liberation comes by consecrating perception and utterance to Pati (Shiva).

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

In Saguna worship, the Linga is approached as the living presence of Īśāna—Shiva as the indwelling Lord of sound and space. Since mantra and praise arise through speech and are received through hearing, this verse grounds Linga-worship in Shiva as the presiding reality behind both the worshipper’s faculties and the sacred sound.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with disciplined speech (truthful, restrained words) and sacred listening (śravaṇa of Shiva-names); meditate on vyoma (inner space) as pervaded by Īśāna while offering the fruits of hearing and speaking to Shiva.