Shloka 31

भैरवावतारलीलावर्णनम् (Bhairava-avatāra-līlā-varṇanam) — “Narration of the Divine Play of Bhairava’s Descent”

Devanagari script

संहारकाले संप्राप्ते सदेवान्निखिलान्मुनीन् । लोकान्वर्णाश्रमवतो हरिष्यसि यदा हर

Transliteration

saṃhārakāle saṃprāpte sadevānnikhilānmunīn | lokānvarṇāśramavato hariṣyasi yadā hara

Translation

హే హరా! ప్రళయకాలం వచ్చినప్పుడు దేవులతో కూడిన సమస్త మునులను, అలాగే వర్ణాశ్రమవ్యవస్థతో ఉన్న అన్ని లోకాలను నీవు నీలోనే లయపరచుకుంటావు.

Word by Word

• संहारकाले: at the time of dissolution
• संहारकाले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃhāra-kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: संहारस्य कालः; पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• संप्राप्ते: when (it) has arrived
• संप्राप्ते: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃprāpta (कृदन्त; sam√prāp (धातु))
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• स: those
• स: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural); सर्वनाम; ‘स’ = ‘तान्’ (those)

• देवान्: gods
• देवान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• निखिलान्: all, entire
• निखिलान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nikhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• मुनीन्: sages
• मुनीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• वर्णाश्रमवतः: of the one possessing varṇa and āśrama (order)
• वर्णाश्रमवतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varṇa-āśrama-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: वर्णाश्रमः यस्य (वर्ण+आश्रम as द्वन्द्व/समाहार treated as unit) + वत्; पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular)

• हरिष्यसि: you will take away/destroy
• हरिष्यसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/लृट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kāla (काल-निर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal adverb/conjunction)

• हर: O Hara
• हर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas
• Munis

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva (Hara) as Pati—the supreme Lord who withdraws the entire manifested order at pralaya—teaching detachment from worldly structures and reliance on the Lord who alone remains.

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

At dissolution, names and forms are withdrawn; Linga worship trains the devotee to see the Saguna form as a doorway to the timeless Lord who transcends and reabsorbs all forms, including cosmic orders like varṇa and āśrama.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate pralaya and practice japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of impermanence and surrender to Hara, the remover of bondage.