तृतीयनेत्राग्निनिवृत्तिः / Quelling the Fire of the Third Eye
Vāḍava Fire Placed in the Ocean
अथ क्रोधमयं वह्निं दग्धुकाम जगत्त्रयम् । वाडवांतकमार्षं च सौम्यज्वालामुखं मुने
atha krodhamayaṃ vahniṃ dagdhukāma jagattrayam | vāḍavāṃtakamārṣaṃ ca saumyajvālāmukhaṃ mune
তেতিয়া, হে মুনি, ত্ৰিলোক দগ্ধ কৰিবলৈ ইচ্ছা কৰা ক্ৰোধময় অগ্নি প্ৰকাশ পালে—সেয়া বাডবাগ্নি-নাশক, ঋষিসকলৰ অপ্ৰতিহত জ্বালা, তথাপি সৌম্য দীপ্তিময় মুখবিশিষ্ট আছিল।
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahākāla
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: The verse’s imagery of all-consuming, world-threatening fire resonates with Mahākāla’s saṃhāra-śakti; in Ujjain’s Mahākāleśvara tradition, Śiva as Time/Death subdues destructive forces and grants protection to the worlds.
Significance: Protection from untimely death, pacification of fierce forces (kāla/raudra), and stabilization of dharma through Śiva’s saṃhāra held in check by grace.
Type: rudram
Cosmic Event: World-threatening conflagration imagery (pralaya-like fire impulse) restrained within cosmic order.
It portrays a cosmic, wrath-born fire capable of consuming the three worlds, yet described as “gentle-faced,” indicating that Shiva’s power (Rudra-śakti) is both destructive to bondage and ultimately auspicious when aligned with dharma and devotion.
The verse highlights Shiva’s Saguna sovereignty over elemental forces like fire; Linga-worship recognizes Him as the controller of creation and dissolution, and devotion transforms fearsome energies into grace-bearing, “saumya” (benevolent) manifestations.
A practical takeaway is to pacify inner ‘krodha-agni’ (anger-fire) through Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Tripuṇḍra/bhasma remembrance of impermanence, cultivating Shiva’s calm, auspicious awareness.