Shloka 29

शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Pañcabrahma Avatāras

Devanagari script

कृष्ण कृष्णशिखश्चैव कृष्णा स्यः कृष्णकण्ठधृक् । इति तेऽव्यक्तनामानः शिवरूपाः सुतेजसः

Transliteration

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇaśikhaścaiva kṛṣṇā syaḥ kṛṣṇakaṇṭhadhṛk | iti te'vyaktanāmānaḥ śivarūpāḥ sutejasaḥ

Translation

พวกเขามีผิวดำ มวยผมดำ ใบหน้าดำ และทรงคอสีดำ; ดังนี้คือรูปแห่งพระศิวะ ผู้มีนามอันยังไม่ปรากฏ ส่องสว่างด้วยเดชของตนเอง

Word by Word

• कृष्णः: black/dark (one)
• कृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः

• कृष्णशिखः: having a black crest/topknot
• कृष्णशिखः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + शिख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः; विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• कृष्णा: black/dark (feminine)
• कृष्णा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः

• स्यः: may be / let (him) be
• स्यः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘अस्तु/भवतु’ इत्यर्थः

• कृष्णकण्ठधृक्: bearer of a black throat
• कृष्णकण्ठधृक्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + धृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः; ‘धृ’ धातोः क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त (धृक् = धारकः) कृदन्तः; विशेषणम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; ‘they’

• अव्यक्तनामानः: whose names are unmanifest/unknown
• अव्यक्तनामानः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समासः (‘येषां नाम अव्यक्तम्’); विशेषणम्

• शिवरूपाः: having the form of Śiva
• शिवरूपाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (‘शिवस्य रूपम्’); विशेषणम्

• सुतेजसः: very radiant
• सुतेजसः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (‘सु-तेजस्’ = अत्यन्ततेजस्विन्); विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva’s countless manifestations may appear with specific attributes (like a dark hue or dark throat), yet their essence is pure, self-luminous consciousness; even when names and forms are “unmanifest,” Śiva remains the radiant Pati (Lord) beyond limitation.

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

The verse supports Saguna-upāsanā by allowing devotees to meditate on recognizable divine attributes, while also pointing to the Linga’s deeper meaning: the unmanifest reality (avyakta) from which all named forms arise and into which they dissolve.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna on Śiva’s form (rūpa-dhyāna) while repeating the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating that the visible attribute (color/form) is a doorway to the formless, self-effulgent Śiva.