Shloka 14

वीरभद्र-भैरव-आह्वानम् — Invocation of Vīrabhadra/Bhairava for Cosmic Reabsorption

Devanagari script

सूक्ष्मं संहृत्य सूक्ष्मेण स्थूलं स्थूलेन तेजसा । वक्त्रमानाय कृत्तिं च वीरभद्र ममाज्ञया

Transliteration

sūkṣmaṃ saṃhṛtya sūkṣmeṇa sthūlaṃ sthūlena tejasā | vaktramānāya kṛttiṃ ca vīrabhadra mamājñayā

Translation

“以你炽烈的威力，使微细归入微细，使粗重归入粗重。又，毗罗跋陀罗（Vīrabhadra）啊，奉我之命，把那面容与皮革也一并带来。”

Word by Word

• सूक्ष्मम्: the subtle (thing/form)
• सूक्ष्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — neuter accusative singular

• संहृत्य: having withdrawn
• संहृत्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्तः — gerund/absolutive ‘having withdrawn/collected’

• सूक्ष्मेण: by/with the subtle (means)
• सूक्ष्मेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — instrumental singular

• स्थूलम्: the gross (thing/form)
• स्थूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — neuter accusative singular

• स्थूलेन: by/with the gross (means)
• स्थूलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — instrumental singular

• तेजसा: by radiance / by power
• तेजसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — instrumental singular

• वक्त्रम्: face / mouth
• वक्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — neuter accusative singular

• आनाय: bring
• आनाय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थक), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम् — Imperative, 2nd person singular, active

• कृत्तिम्: hide/skin; garment (kṛtti)
• कृत्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — feminine accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्ययम् — conjunction

• वीरभद्र: O Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — vocative singular

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — genitive singular ‘of me/my’

• आज्ञया: by (my) command
• आज्ञया: Hetu/Pramana (हेतु/प्रमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम् — instrumental singular

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Localized pralaya-like withdrawal: reabsorption of subtle into subtle and gross into gross (laya motif).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Virabhadra

FAQs

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

It points to laya (reabsorption): under Shiva’s supreme lordship (Pati), all subtle and gross manifestations return to their respective sources, showing His control over creation, maintenance, and dissolution.

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

The verse depicts Shiva’s saguna governance through command and divine energy (tejas). In Linga worship, the devotee meditates that all forms dissolve into Shiva, the Linga being the stable symbol of that transcendent ground.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A meditative takeaway is pratyāhāra and laya-bhāvanā: withdraw the mind from gross objects to subtle awareness while repeating the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), contemplating that all experience resolves into Shiva.