Shloka 39

अवधूतेश्वरलीला (Avadhūteśvara-līlā) — Śiva Tests Indra’s Pride on the Way to Kailāsa

Devanagari script

इत्थं कृत्वा सुचरितं शंकरो लोकशंकरः । अवधूतस्वरूपेण ततश्चान्तर्हितोऽभवत्

Transliteration

itthaṃ kṛtvā sucaritaṃ śaṃkaro lokaśaṃkaraḥ | avadhūtasvarūpeṇa tataścāntarhito'bhavat

Translation

ఇలా శ్రేష్ఠ కార్యాన్ని చేసి, లోకహితకరుడైన శంకరుడు తరువాత అవధూత స్వరూపాన్ని ధరించి అంతర్హితుడయ్యాడు.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus, in this manner
• इत्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), manner-adverb (प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), from √कृ; ‘having done’

• सुचरितम्: good deed / noble act
• सुचरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-carita (प्रातिपदिक; सु + चरित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• लोकशंकरः: benefactor of the world
• लोकशंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka-śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक; लोक + शंकर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य शंकरः)

• अवधूतस्वरूपेण: in the form of an avadhūta (ascetic)
• अवधूतस्वरूपेण: Karaṇa/Prakāra (करण/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avadhūta-svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक; अवधूत + स्वरूप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; तृतीया-हेतु/प्रकार (in the form of...)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, temporal adverb (कालवाचक)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• अन्तर्हितः: disappeared, concealed
• अन्तर्हितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: antar-hita (प्रातिपदिक; अन्तर् + हित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकालिक विशेषण (past passive sense)

• अभवत्: became / was
• अभवत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; after completing the deed, Śaṅkara assumes an avadhūta mode and becomes ‘antarhita’—a narrative marker of divine withdrawal/concealment.

Significance: Contemplative teaching: Śiva is both immanent actor and transcendent, ungraspable reality; after intervention he ‘withdraws’—mirroring tirodhāna (veiling) that preserves cosmic order and autonomy of beings.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva’s compassion and transcendence: after accomplishing an auspicious purpose for the world, he withdraws into concealment, indicating that the Lord is not bound to visibility or form and is realized through inner awareness and grace.

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

Shiva’s avadhūta form points to Saguna manifestation used to uplift devotees, while his becoming ‘antarhita’ suggests the deeper Nirguna reality. Linga-worship bridges both—adoring the manifest symbol while contemplating the unmanifest Lord beyond sensory perception.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the avadhūta—repeat the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrāksha, contemplating his detached, all-auspicious presence that appears for grace and withdraws into the heart as pure consciousness.