Shloka 34

नन्दिकेशावतारवर्णनम् (Nandikeśa Avatāra Varṇanam) — “Account of the Descent/Origin of Nandikeśvara”

Devanagari script

तव पुत्रो भविष्यामि नन्दी नाम्ना त्वयोनिजः । पिता भविष्यसि मम पितुर्वै जगतां मुने

Transliteration

tava putro bhaviṣyāmi nandī nāmnā tvayonijaḥ | pitā bhaviṣyasi mama piturvai jagatāṃ mune

Translation

నేను నీ కుమారుడనై జన్మిస్తాను—నంది అనే నామంతో—యోనిజన్మ కాక అయోనిజంగా. ఓ మునీ, నీవు నా తండ్రివవుతావు, జగత్తుల తండ్రికీ తండ్రివలె।

Word by Word

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• भविष्यामि: I shall become
• भविष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्काल), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• नन्दी: Nandī
• नन्दी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), नाम (proper noun)

• नाम्ना: by name/as (named)
• नाम्ना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्वया: by you/from you
• त्वया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम

• अनिजः: unborn (from womb), not womb-born
• अनिजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); नञ्-प्रत्ययार्थ (negation): 'not born (from womb)'

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• भविष्यसि: you will become
• भविष्यसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम

• पितुः: of the father
• पितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphatic)

• जगताम्: of the worlds/of beings
• जगताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This is the doctrinal-narrative crux: Śiva grants Śilāda an ayoni-ja son by becoming Nandī Himself; not tied to a Jyotirliṅga site.

Significance: Affirms Śiva’s anugraha as capable of overturning ordinary karmic biology (ayoni-ja) and mortality; Nandī becomes the paradigmatic devotee/gaṇa and gateway to Śiva-bhakti.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: āvirbhāva/avatāra announcement (Śiva becoming Nandī)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi

FAQs

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

The verse establishes Nandī as a direct divine manifestation connected to Shiva’s grace, showing that the Lord can assume a form to uphold dharma and to bless a devotee with intimate relationship (as son and guide), a key Shaiva theme of Pati’s compassion toward the pashu.

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

Nandī is inseparable from Saguna Shiva worship: as Shiva’s foremost attendant and the emblem of steadfast devotion, he is traditionally honored before approaching Shiva’s shrine or linga, reflecting the proper devotional approach—humility, steadiness, and surrender to the Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is sevā-bhakti: approach Shiva with disciplined devotion—begin worship by saluting Nandī (Nandī-prāṇāma), then perform linga-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while cultivating unwavering focus.