Shloka 13

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

संत्यक्त्वा ताण्डवरसं स्वेच्छयैव पिनाकधृक् / ज्योतिः स्वभावं भगवान् दग्ध्वा ब्रह्माण्डमण्डलम्

Transliteration

saṃtyaktvā tāṇḍavarasaṃ svecchayaiva pinākadhṛk / jyotiḥ svabhāvaṃ bhagavān dagdhvā brahmāṇḍamaṇḍalam

Translation

Aus eigenem Willen legte der Herr—Träger des Pināka-Bogens—die Verzückung des Tāṇḍava ab, nahm seine ureigene Natur als reines Licht an und verbrannte, ja verzehrte damit die ganze kosmische Sphäre des Brahmāṇḍa.

Word by Word

• संत्यक्त्वा: having completely abandoned
• संत्यक्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: त्यज्, उपसर्ग: सम्; क्रियाविशेषणभावे

• ताण्डव-रसम्: the essence/juice of the tāṇḍava (dance)
• ताण्डव-रसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताण्डव (प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ताण्डवस्य रसः)

• स्वेच्छया: by (his) own will
• स्वेच्छया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्वा इच्छा)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphatic)

• पिनाक-धृक्: the bearer of the Pināka (Śiva)
• पिनाक-धृक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाक (प्रातिपदिक) + धृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः/कृदन्तसमासः (पिनाकं धरतीति)

• ज्योतिः: light, radiance
• ज्योतिः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (रूपं प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन समानम्)

• स्वभावम्: (its) own nature
• स्वभावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य भावः)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• दग्ध्वा: having burned
• दग्ध्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: दह्

• ब्रह्माण्ड-मण्डलम्: the sphere/region of the cosmic egg (universe)
• ब्रह्माण्ड-मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्माण्डस्य मण्डलम्)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration, describing Rudra/Śiva’s cosmic act)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Pināka
• Tāṇḍava
• Brahmāṇḍa

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By presenting the Lord’s “jyotiḥ-svabhāva” (nature as pure Light), the verse points to the Supreme as luminous consciousness beyond forms—able to manifest and withdraw the cosmos, indicating an Atman/Iśvara reality that is self-revealing and transcendent.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

While not prescribing a technique directly, the verse supports Pāśupata-Śaiva contemplation: meditating on Iśvara as jyotiḥ (inner light) and recognizing dance/action (tāṇḍava) as a willed manifestation, culminating in inward withdrawal (pratyāhāra/vairāgya) toward the luminous Self.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

It frames Rudra as the supreme Lord who becomes pure Light and dissolves the universe—an image compatible with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where the highest reality is one Iśvara, expressed through Śiva and also harmonized with Vaiṣṇava theology in the broader narrative.