Shloka 14

शिवस्य पञ्चब्रह्मावतारवर्णनम्

Description of Shiva’s Pañcabrahma Avatāras

Devanagari script

स तं दृष्ट्वा महात्मानं कुमारं ध्यानमाश्रितः । वामदेवं शिवं ज्ञात्वा प्रणनाम कृतांजलिः

Transliteration

sa taṃ dṛṣṭvā mahātmānaṃ kumāraṃ dhyānamāśritaḥ | vāmadevaṃ śivaṃ jñātvā praṇanāma kṛtāṃjaliḥ

Translation

اس عظیم الروح نوجوان صورت کو دھیان میں مستغرق دیکھ کر اس نے انہیں وام دیو—خود بھگوان شِو—جان کر ہاتھ باندھ کر سجدۂ تعظیم کیا۔

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (having done)

• महात्मानम्: the great-souled one
• महात्मानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• कुमारम्: the youth/prince
• कुमारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; महात्मानम् इति विशेष्यस्य समानाधिकरण (appositional)

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• आश्रितः: having resorted to
• आश्रितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; ध्यानम् इति कर्मणि (having resorted to meditation)

• वामदेवम्: Vāmadeva
• वामदेवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; वामदेवम् इति समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known/recognized
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• प्रणनाम: bowed down
• प्रणनाम: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कृताञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• कृताञ्जलिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (कृतः अञ्जलिः यस्य सः/कृत-अञ्जलि), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vāmadeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: epiphany of Śiva’s Vāmadeva aspect within the kalpa narrative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vamadeva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights right recognition (jñāna) joined with devotion (bhakti): when the seeker perceives the meditative, auspicious form as Śiva (Pati), the natural response is humble surrender—an essential doorway to grace (anugraha) in Shaiva Siddhanta.

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

It affirms Saguna worship: Śiva is approached through a discernible form—here, Vāmadeva—just as devotees approach Him through the Śiva-liṅga. Recognition of the divine presence in a worshipful form leads to pranāma and inner alignment with Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to dhyāna (meditative absorption) and añjali-pranāma (reverent salutation). A practical takeaway is to begin Śiva-pūjā or japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady meditation and respectful folded-hands surrender.