Shiva Purana — Satarudra Samhita, Shloka 47

शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Pañcabrahma Avatāras

Devanagari script

रशनायाश्च पायोश्च रसस्यापां तथैव च । ईश्वरं वामदेवाख्यं स्वरूपं शांकरं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

raśanāyāśca pāyośca rasasyāpāṃ tathaiva ca | īśvaraṃ vāmadevākhyaṃ svarūpaṃ śāṃkaraṃ smṛtam

Translation

Ang anyong Śāṃkara na tinatawag na Vāmadeva ay inaalala bilang Panginoon na namamahala sa dila, sa puwit (anus), sa lasa, at gayundin sa mga tubig.

Word by Word

• रशनायाः: of the tongue
• रशनायाः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रशना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; Genitive singular

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

• पायोः: of the anus
• पायोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; Genitive singular

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

• रसस्य: of taste/essence
• रसस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• अपाम्: of waters
• अपाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

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

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object/complement

• वामदेवाख्यम्: called Vāmadeva
• वामदेवाख्यम्: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वामदेव + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; compound: वामदेव-आख्य (named 'Vāmadeva')

• स्वरूपम्: essential form/nature
• स्वरूपम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object/complement

• शांकरम्: Śaṅkara’s; pertaining to Śaṅkara
• शांकरम्: विशेषण (Adjective to Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शांकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'स्वरूपम्'

• स्मृतम्: is remembered/considered
• स्मृतम्: क्रिया (Predicative/Passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicative: 'is remembered/called'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vāmadeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vamadeva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva, as Vāmadeva, is the indwelling Lord who governs specific sense-functions and elemental principles, guiding the devotee to see all experience as pervaded and ruled by Pati (Shiva).

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

By naming Vāmadeva as a distinct Śāṃkara form tied to bodily and elemental domains, the verse supports Saguna contemplation—worshipping Shiva in defined aspects—while remembering that these forms point to the one all-pervading Lord worshipped in the Liṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is sense-restraint and inner japa: while doing mantra (especially Panchakshara), contemplate Vāmadeva as the presiding divinity of taste and water, offering food and water mentally to Shiva and purifying the senses through devotion.