Shloka 3

शिवस्यार्द्धनारीनरावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Ardhanārī-nara Manifestation

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे तृतीयायां रुद्रसंहितायां शिवस्यार्द्धनारीनरावतारवर्णनं नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe tṛtīyāyāṃ rudrasaṃhitāyāṃ śivasyārddhanārīnarāvatāravarṇanaṃ nāma tṛtīyo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

ดังนี้ ในศรีศิวมหาปุราณะ ภายในสังหิตาที่สาม ได้จบลงแล้วซึ่งบทที่สามชื่อว่า “พรรณนาการอวตารของพระศิวะเป็นอรรธนารีและเป็นบุรุษ”.

Word by Word

• नभो-वाणी: a heavenly voice
• नभो-वाणी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नभसि/नभः-सम्बन्धिनी वाणी), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• अभूत्: arose/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• सृष्टिम्: creation
• सृष्टिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मिथुन-जाम्: born of a pair/sexual union
• मिथुन-जाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिथुन (प्रातिपदिक) + जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मिथुनात् जाता), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण of सृष्टिम्

• कुरु: do/create
• कुरु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of श्रुत्वा

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), 'having heard'

• मैथुनीम्: sexual/of mating
• मैथुनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मैथुनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण of सृष्टिम्

• सृष्टिम्: creation
• सृष्टिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to create
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तुम् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), 'to do/to create'

• अमन्यत: thought/considered
• अमन्यत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Ardhanārīśvara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This is a chapter-colophon marking the completion of a section that contemplates Śiva’s manifest (saguṇa) forms—especially Ardhanārī—highlighting the Purāṇic method of approaching the transcendent Pati through sacred narratives and divine forms.

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

By naming Śiva’s avatāra-description as the chapter’s theme, it points to saguṇa-upāsanā—devotion to Śiva’s revealed forms—which in Shaiva practice supports steadiness of mind and culminates in deeper reverence for the Liṅga as the abiding sign of Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

As a closing marker, it implicitly supports śravaṇa (devotional listening/recitation) of Śiva-kathā; a fitting practice is to conclude the reading with pañcākṣarī-japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a brief dhyāna on Ardhanārīśvara as Śiva’s gracious manifest form.