Shloka 17

Śivāṣṭamūrti-varṇanam

Description of Shiva’s Eight Forms

Devanagari script

इति प्रोक्ताः स्वरूपास्ते विधिपुत्राष्टविश्रुताः । सर्वोपकारनिरताः सेव्याः श्रेयोर्थिभिर्नरैः

Transliteration

iti proktāḥ svarūpāste vidhiputrāṣṭaviśrutāḥ | sarvopakāraniratāḥ sevyāḥ śreyorthibhirnaraiḥ

Translation

ดังนี้ได้ประกาศรูปเหล่านั้นแล้ว—แปดรูปอันเลื่องชื่อ อันเกี่ยวเนื่องกับบุตรแห่งวิธิ (พรหมา) ผู้มุ่งให้คุณประโยชน์ทุกประการเป็นนิตย์ ผู้แสวงหาศุภผลสูงสุดพึงนอบน้อมบูชาและปรนนิบัติ.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• proktāḥ: have been stated
• proktāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√vac (वच् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘कथिताः’

• svarūpāḥ: forms / natures
• svarūpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva-rūpa (स्वरूप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (svam rūpam)

• te: those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• vidhi-putra-aṣṭa-viśrutāḥ: the eight famed sons of Vidhi (Brahmā)
• vidhi-putra-aṣṭa-viśrutāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhi (विधि) + putra (पुत्र) + aṣṭa (अष्ट) + viśruta (विश्रुत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः (विधेः पुत्राः) + ‘अष्ट’ (संख्याविशेषण) + ‘विश्रुत’ (प्रसिद्ध) — ‘विधिपुत्रा अष्ट (ये) विश्रुताः’

• sarva-upakāra-niratāḥ: engaged in all beneficence
• sarva-upakāra-niratāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (सर्व) + upakāra (उपकार) + nirata (निरत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (sarveṣu upakāreṣu niratāḥ)

• sevyāḥ: worthy to be served
• sevyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sev (सेव् धातु) + ya (यत्/णीय)
• Form: णीयत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: to be served), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• śreyaḥ-arthibhiḥ: by seekers of the highest good
• śreyaḥ-arthibhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (श्रेयस् प्रातिपदिक) + arthin (अर्थिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (śreyaḥ arthinaḥ = seekers of welfare)

• naraiḥ: by men
• naraiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (नर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण/कर्तृसाधन (by men)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse frames the eight renowned manifestations as beneficent and worthy of worship for śreyas (highest good).

Significance: General tīrtha-logic: worship of Śiva’s manifest forms yields śreyas (mokṣa-oriented welfare) and worldly upakāra as secondary.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

The verse affirms that Shiva’s manifested forms are compassionate and welfare-giving, and that seekers of śreyas (the highest spiritual good culminating in liberation) should approach and worship these forms with devotion.

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

By praising specific ‘forms’ as worthy of service, it supports Saguna-upāsanā—approaching Shiva through accessible manifestations (including the Linga) as a direct means to receive grace and progress toward the highest good.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies regular sevā/upāsanā: daily Shiva worship with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and traditional Shaiva observances such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as supportive disciplines for seekers of śreyas.