Shloka 9

भैरवोत्पत्तिः ब्रह्मदर्पनिग्रहश्च

Origin of Bhairava and the Subduing of Brahmā’s Pride

Devanagari script

अथाह देवः कितवं विधिं विगतकंधरम् । ब्रह्मंस्त्वमर्हणाकांक्षी शठमीशत्वमास्थितः

Transliteration

athāha devaḥ kitavaṃ vidhiṃ vigatakaṃdharam | brahmaṃstvamarhaṇākāṃkṣī śaṭhamīśatvamāsthitaḥ

Translation

అప్పుడు దేవుడు తల వంచి నిలిచిన కపటుడైన విధి (బ్రహ్మ)తో ఇలా అన్నాడు— “ఓ బ్రహ్మన్, నీవు పూజను కోరుతూ, మాయచేసి ఈశ్వరత్వపు భంగిమను ఆశ్రయించావు।”

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• देवः: the god (Śiva)
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• कितवम्: deceitful; gambler-like
• कितवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कितव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् — modifies ‘विधिम्’

• विधिम्: Brahmā (the creator)
• विधिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• विगत-कन्धरम्: with the neck removed; beheaded
• विगत-कन्धरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विगत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + कन्धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् — ‘whose neck is gone/cut off’ (विगत = gone)

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (Brahmā)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• अर्हण-आकाङ्क्षी: desiring worship
• अर्हण-आकाङ्क्षी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्हण (प्रातिपदिक) + आकाङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् — ‘desiring worship/honour’

• शठम्: deceitful; wicked
• शठम्: Karma (कर्म/predicative complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-रूपेण, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as predicate/accusative of state)

• ईशत्वम्: lordship
• ईशत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म/अवस्थावाचक (state)

• आस्थितः: having assumed; occupying
• आस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता/predicate of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी-धातोः; ‘having assumed/occupied’

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This rebuke aligns with Purāṇic motifs where Śiva humbles Brahmā’s claim to supremacy; it is not tied here to a specific jyotirliṅga-sthala episode.

Significance: Didactic: warns against ahaṅkāra and ‘īśatva-abhimāna’; promotes surrender to Pati as the true Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It warns that craving recognition and worship is a form of spiritual ego; in Shaiva Siddhanta, true īśatva belongs to Pati (Śiva) alone, and liberation arises through humility and surrender rather than self-asserted authority.

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

The verse supports the Purāṇic theme that worship should be directed to Śiva as the supreme Lord represented in the Liṅga; seeking worship for oneself is portrayed as a deviation from dharma and from proper devotion to Saguna Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is ego-purification through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a devotional attitude, offering worship to Śiva (optionally with bhasma/tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa) while consciously renouncing the desire for personal praise.