Shloka 2

भैरवावतारवर्णनम् (Bhairavāvatāra-varṇanam) — “Description of the Descent/Manifestation of Bhairava”

Devanagari script

भैरवः पूर्णरूपो हि शंकरस्य परात्मनः । मूढास्तं वै न जानन्ति मोहिताश्शिवमायया

Transliteration

bhairavaḥ pūrṇarūpo hi śaṃkarasya parātmanaḥ | mūḍhāstaṃ vai na jānanti mohitāśśivamāyayā

Translation

怖畏尊（Bhairava）实为商羯罗（Śaṅkara）——至上真我——的圆满显现；然愚迷之人被湿婆自有的幻力（Māyā）所惑，不能如实识之。

Word by Word

• भैरवः: Bhairava
• भैरवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पूर्णरूपः: of complete form
• पूर्णरूपः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-सम्बन्ध/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; पूर्ण + रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) भैरवस्य

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेतौ/निश्चये (indeed/for)

• शंकरस्य: of Śaṅkara
• शंकरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• परात्मनः: of the Supreme Self
• परात्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive; apposition to शंकरस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; पर + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आत्मन्-शब्द (n-stem)

• मूढाः: the deluded (people)
• मूढाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (विशेष्य-रूपेण) ‘मूढ-जनाः’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वै: certainly
• वै: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; निश्चयार्थे (certainly)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• मोहिताः: bewildered
• मोहिताः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-सम्बन्ध/Descriptive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण मूढानाम्

• शिवमायया: by Śiva’s māyā
• शिवमायया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-माया (प्रातिपदिक; शिव + माया)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Doctrinally clarifies that failure to recognize Bhairava as Śaṅkara’s pūrṇa-rūpa is due to Śiva-māyā (veiling); pilgrimage here is epistemic—moving from moha to recognition through grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Bhairava
• Shiva Maya

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that Bhairava is not separate from Śiva but a complete divine manifestation; ignorance arises when the soul is veiled by Śiva’s Māyā, and liberation comes through right recognition (jñāna) supported by devotion.

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

It affirms Saguna worship: Bhairava is a fully valid, complete form of Śiva for upāsanā. Linga-worship and form-worship both aim at the same Supreme Śiva, while Māyā causes people to mistake the form as merely worldly or frightening rather than divine.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with bhakti to dispel delusion, along with Shaiva disciplines such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supports for remembrance of Śiva.