Shloka 18

भैरवावतारलीलावर्णनम् (Bhairava-avatāra-līlā-varṇanam) — “Narration of the Divine Play of Bhairava’s Descent”

Devanagari script

धिग्धिक्पदन्तु देवानां परं दृष्ट्वा न शंकरम् । लभ्यते यत्र निर्वाणं सर्व दुःखान्तकृत्तु यत्

Transliteration

dhigdhikpadantu devānāṃ paraṃ dṛṣṭvā na śaṃkaram | labhyate yatra nirvāṇaṃ sarva duḥkhāntakṛttu yat

Translation

اگر شنکر کے دیدار کے بغیر دیوتاؤں کا وہ ‘اعلیٰ مقام’ ملے تو وہ مقام قابلِ ملامت ہے۔ کیونکہ نروان تو اسی میں ہے—وہ شیو جو ہر دکھ کا خاتمہ کرتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• dhik: fie!
• dhik: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhik (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात) — nindā/garhaṇā (censure)

• dhik: fie again!
• dhik: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhik (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात) — repetition for emphasis

• padam: state/position (goal)
• padam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात) — contrast/emphasis

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• param: supreme
• param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम्—(implied) ‘padam’

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (क्त्वा), Absolutive (ल्यबन्त/अव्ययकृदन्त)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Pratiṣedha-nipāta (प्रतिषेध-निपात)

• śaṅkaram: Śaṅkara
• śaṅkaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• labhyate: is obtained
• labhyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्), Present, Ātmanepada; Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Singular; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (देश-अव्यय) — relative adverb ‘where’

• nirvāṇam: liberation / nirvāṇa
• nirvāṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirvāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarva-duḥkha-anta-kṛt: ending all suffering
• sarva-duḥkha-anta-kṛt: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛt (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, from √kṛ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम्—(implied) ‘padam/nirvāṇam’

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात) — emphasis

• yat: that (state) which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); correlating with ‘yatra’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s supremacy to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific jyotirliṅga episode; the verse universalizes the principle that liberation (nirvāṇa/mokṣa) is obtained only through Śaṅkara’s grace and presence.

Significance: Reorients ‘highest heaven’ (deva-pada) as inferior to śiva-sannidhi; motivates pilgrimage/temple-darśana as a means to seek anugraha leading to mokṣa.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse declares that even the “highest” divine attainments are incomplete if they exclude Śaṅkara; true Nirvāṇa is found in the grace and realization of Shiva, the Pati who ends all duḥkha (bondage-born suffering).

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

It supports Saguna upāsanā as a direct doorway to the highest: beholding Śaṅkara through Linga-darśana and devoted worship leads the soul from limited heavenly attainments toward Shiva’s liberating presence (Nirvāṇa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prioritize Śiva-darśana and remembrance: daily Linga worship with Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and a bhakti-focused contemplation on Śaṅkara as the remover of all suffering.