Shloka 34

यक्षेश्वरावतारः (Yakṣeśvara-Avatāra) and the Nīlakaṇṭha Paradigm in the Churning of the Ocean

Devanagari script

देवा ऊचुः । देवदेव महादेव सर्वगर्वापहारक । यक्षेश्वरमहालील माया तेत्यद्भुता प्रभो

Transliteration

devā ūcuḥ | devadeva mahādeva sarvagarvāpahāraka | yakṣeśvaramahālīla māyā tetyadbhutā prabho

Translation

قالت الآلهة: «يا إله الآلهة، يا مهاديڤا، يا مُزيل كلّ كِبر! يا ربّ، إن ليلتك العجيبة التي تتجلّى في صورة الياكشا العظيم—إن ماياك لمدهشة حقًّا، أيها البرابهو.»

Word by Word

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• देव-देव: O God of gods
• देव-देव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः)

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् देवः)

• सर्व-गर्व-अपहारक: O remover of all pride
• सर्व-गर्व-अपहारक: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वस्य गर्वस्य अपहारकः)

• यक्ष-ईश्वर-महा-लील: O (you) of great sport as Lord of the Yakṣas
• यक्ष-ईश्वर-महा-लील: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; बहु-तत्पुरुष (यक्षेश्वरस्य महालीला इव/यक्षेश्वररूपेण महालीलः)

• माया: māyā/illusion
• माया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative/‘thus’)

• अद्भुता: wonderful
• अद्भुता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with माया)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

The Devas

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: devadeva mahādeva sarvagarvāpahāraka | yakṣeśvaramahālīla māyā te'tyadbhutā prabho

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva as the remover of garva (ego-pride): even the Devas must surrender their superiority, recognizing that all power and knowledge arise from Pati (Śiva) alone.

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

By praising Śiva’s līlā and māyā, the verse supports Saguna worship—approaching the formless Supreme through manifest forms (such as the Yakṣa-līlā or the Śiva-liṅga) to dissolve ego and awaken devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with the bhāva of humility, combined with simple Śiva-upacāra (offering water/flowers) as a discipline for ego-reduction.