Chapter 6 · Ṣaṣṭho’dhyāyaḥ (Sixth Chapter)
Dhyānam
ॐ नागाधीश्वरविष्टरां फणिफणोत्तंसोरुरत्नावली- भास्वद्देहलतां दिवाकरनिभां नेत्रत्रयोद्भासिताम्। मालाकुम्भकपालनीरजकरां चन्द्रार्धचूडां परां सर्वज्ञेश्वरभैरवाङ्कनिलयां पद्मावतीं चिन्तये॥
ōṁ nāgādhīśvaraviṣṭarāṁ phaṇiphaṇōttaṁsōruratnāvalī- bhāsvaddēhalatāṁ divākaranibhāṁ nētratrayōdbhāsitām | mālākumbhakapālanīrajakarāṁ candrārdhacūḍāṁ parāṁ sarvajñēśvarabhairavāṅkanilayāṁ padmāvatīṁ cintayē ||
Translation
Om. I meditate upon Padmavati, seated upon the lord of serpents, adorned with rows of great jewels on serpent hoods, her radiant creeper-like body resembling the sun, illuminated by three eyes, holding a garland, pot, skull, and lotus in her hands, crowned with a crescent moon, supreme, the beloved of Bhairava, the lord of all knowledge, residing with him.
Word by word
- oṁ
- sacred syllable
- nāgādhīśvara
- lord of serpents (Shesha)
- viṣṭarāṁ
- seated upon
- phaṇiphaṇa
- serpent hoods
- uttaṁsa
- crowning
- ururatnāvalī
- rows of great jewels
- bhāsvat
- radiant
- dehalatāṁ
- whose body is like a creeper
- divākaranibhāṁ
- resembling the sun
- netratraya
- three eyes
- udbhāsitāṁ
- illuminated
- mālā
- garland
- kumbha
- pot
- kapāla
- skull
- nīraja
- lotus
- karāṁ
- in hands
- candrārdhacūḍāṁ
- with a crescent moon crown
- parāṁ
- supreme
- sarvajñeśvara
- lord of all knowledge (Shiva)
- bhairavāma
- beloved of Bhairava
- nilayāṁ
- residing
- padmāvatīṁ
- Padmavati (the Goddess)
- cintaye
- I meditate
Meaning
This meditation verse invokes the Goddess as Padmavati, visualizing her divine form: seated on Shesha, radiant like the sun, with three eyes symbolizing omniscience, adorned with divine attributes (garland, pot, skull, lotus), and crowned with a crescent moon. As the consort of Bhairava (Shiva), she is supreme and all-knowing, preparing the devotee for the chapter’s narrative of her fierce power.