Shloka 57

द्विजेश्वरावतारः

The Manifestation of Shiva as Dvijeśvara

Devanagari script

व्याघ्रो मायामयो यस्ते शरैरक्षत विग्रहः । धीरतान्द्रष्टुकामस्ते पत्नी याचितवानहम्

Transliteration

vyāghro māyāmayo yaste śarairakṣata vigrahaḥ | dhīratāndraṣṭukāmaste patnī yācitavānaham

Translation

وہ شیر تمہاری مایا کا ہی پیکر تھا؛ تیروں سے زخمی ہونے پر بھی اس کا جسم بے گزند رہا۔ تمہاری زوجہ کی ثابت قدمی دیکھنے کی خواہش سے میں نے اسے مانگا تھا۔

Word by Word

• vyāghraḥ: the tiger
• vyāghraḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• māyāmayaḥ: made of illusion
• māyāmayaḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māyā-maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मायायाः मयः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of vyāghraḥ)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• te: your
• te: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• śaraiḥ: with arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• akṣata: wounded/struck
• akṣata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṣan/√kṣat? (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; पाठभेदे ‘अक्षत’ = ‘injured/struck’ (from √kṣat/क्षत् ‘to wound’)

• vigrahaḥ: body/form
• vigrahaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समनाधिकरणम् (apposition to vyāghraḥ/yaḥ)

• dhīratām: steadfastness/courage
• dhīratām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhīratā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• draṣṭu-kāmaḥ: desiring to see
• draṣṭu-kāmaḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (draṣṭum kāmaḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of aham)

• te: your
• te: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• patnīm: wife
• patnīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yācitavān: requested/begged
• yācitavān: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yāc (धातु) + ktavatu (क्तवतु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past active participle used finitely), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

A narrator within Suta Goswami’s discourse (a devotee/character describing Shiva’s māyā and testing of the consort’s courage)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It highlights that Shiva’s manifestations can be māyā-made—appearing real and even threatening—yet they serve a spiritual purpose: to reveal inner steadiness (dhairya) and deepen devotion toward the Supreme Lord (Pati) beyond appearances.

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

The uninjured, māyā-formed tiger underscores Saguna Shiva’s power to assume forms for līlā and testing, while Linga worship trains the devotee to anchor the mind in Shiva’s ever-present reality rather than be shaken by changing forms and fears.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate fearlessness and steadiness through japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and daily Shiva-upāsanā (e.g., Tripuṇḍra with bhasma), remembering that frightening appearances can be Shiva’s māyā meant to strengthen bhakti.