Shloka 61

वीरभद्र-भैरव-आह्वानम् — Invocation of Vīrabhadra/Bhairava for Cosmic Reabsorption

Devanagari script

शास्ता शेषस्य जगतस्तत्त्वं नैव चतुर्मुखः । नान्ये च केवलं शम्भुस्सर्वशास्ता न संशयः

Transliteration

śāstā śeṣasya jagatastattvaṃ naiva caturmukhaḥ | nānye ca kevalaṃ śambhussarvaśāstā na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

ఈ శేష జగత్తుకు నిజమైన శాస్తా చతుర్ముఖ బ్రహ్మ కూడా కాదు, మరెవ్వరూ కాదు. కేవలం శంభువే సర్వశాస్తా—ఇందులో సందేహం లేదు॥

Word by Word

• śāstā: the ruler/ordainer
• śāstā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāstṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; agent noun ‘ruler/teacher’

• śeṣasya: of the remainder/that which remains
• śeṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• jagataḥ: of the world
• jagataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th), Singular

• tattvam: the true principle/reality
• tattvam: Karta (कर्ता/subject; predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

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

• catur-mukhaḥ: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• catur-mukhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject; in negated identification)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘having four faces’ (epithet of Brahmā)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (कर्ता/subject; excluded)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; ‘others’

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

• kevalam: only; solely
• kevalam: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative used as Avyaya (क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण)

• śambhuḥ: Śambhu (Śiva)
• śambhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• sarva-śāstā: the ruler of all
• sarva-śāstā: Karta (कर्ता/subject; predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; तत्पुरुषः: ‘of all, the ruler/teacher’ = ruler of all

• na: no/not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject; ‘there is no doubt’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific (sthāla) passage; it is a doctrinal assertion of Śiva’s supreme lordship over Brahmā and other devas.

Significance: Supports the Siddhānta view that refuge (śaraṇāgati) is ultimately in Pati (Śambhu) alone; recitation strengthens niścaya (certainty) in Śiva’s īśvaratva.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It asserts Śiva (Śambhu) as the ultimate Tattva and supreme Lord (Pati) who governs the cosmos, placing all other deities within His divine order—supporting single-pointed Shaiva devotion aimed at liberation.

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

By declaring Śambhu as the sole supreme ruler, it validates Linga-worship and Saguna Śiva-upāsanā as direct worship of the highest reality, not merely a secondary deity—leading the devotee toward realization of Śiva’s transcendence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate ekāgratā (one-pointedness) in Śiva-bhakti: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva observances.