Shloka 59

मेना-शिवदर्शन-प्रस्थानम् | Menā’s Quest to Behold Śiva

Departure for Śiva’s Darśana

Devanagari script

तन्मध्ये शंकरं चैव निर्गुणं गुणवत्तरम् । वृषभस्थं पञ्चवक्त्रं त्रिनेत्रं भूतिभूषितम्

Transliteration

tanmadhye śaṃkaraṃ caiva nirguṇaṃ guṇavattaram | vṛṣabhasthaṃ pañcavaktraṃ trinetraṃ bhūtibhūṣitam

Translation

ท่ามกลางหมู่นั้น นางได้เห็นพระศังกรเอง—ผู้เป็นนิรคุณแต่ก็ทรงปรากฏเป็นพระผู้เป็นเจ้าสูงสุดผู้เหนือคุณทั้งปวง—ประทับเหนือโคพฤษภ มีห้าพระพักตร์ สามพระเนตร และทรงประดับด้วยภัสมะอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์

Word by Word

• तत्-मध्ये: in the midst of that
• तत्-मध्ये: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—‘तस्य मध्ये’ सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष; अधिकरणे

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic/limiting particle)

• निर्गुणम्: without attributes
• निर्गुणम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; शंकरम् इति विशेषणम्

• गुणवत्-तरम्: more endowed with qualities
• गुणवत्-तरम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्ययान्त (comparative); शंकरम् इति विशेषणम्

• वृषभ-स्थम्: seated on the bull
• वृषभ-स्थम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; समासः—‘वृषभे स्थितः’ सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष; शंकरम् इति विशेषणम्

• पञ्च-वक्त्रम्: five-faced
• पञ्च-वक्त्रम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (numeral compound): ‘having five faces’

• त्रि-नेत्रम्: three-eyed
• त्रि-नेत्रम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः: ‘having three eyes’

• भूति-भूषितम्: adorned with sacred ash
• भूति-भूषितम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूति (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; समासः—‘भूत्या भूषितम्’ तृतीया-तत्पुरुष; शंकरम् इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as both Nirguṇa (beyond prakṛti’s guṇas) and Saguna (graciously manifest with form for devotees), affirming the Shaiva Siddhānta view that the supreme Pati transcends limitation yet becomes approachable through divine form for liberation.

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

Though Śiva is Nirguṇa, the verse emphasizes His worshipful manifestations—five faces, three eyes, Nandin-seat, and bhasma—supporting Saguna upāsanā (including Liṅga worship) as a valid means to realize the transcendent Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Dhyāna on Pañcavaktra-Trinetra Śiva seated on Nandi, combined with bhasma-dhāraṇa (Tripuṇḍra) and japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” aligns the devotee with Śiva’s grace and inner purification.