Shloka 114

Adhyaya 72 — Puradāha: Rudra’s Cosmic Chariot, Pāśupata-Vrata, and Brahmā’s Shiva-Stuti

Devanagari script

मुमोच बाणं विप्रेन्द्रा व्याकृष्याकर्णम् ईश्वरः तत्क्षणात्त्रिपुरं दग्ध्वा त्रिपुरान्तकरः शरः

Transliteration

mumoca bāṇaṃ viprendrā vyākṛṣyākarṇam īśvaraḥ tatkṣaṇāttripuraṃ dagdhvā tripurāntakaraḥ śaraḥ

Translation

O Bester unter den Brahmanen: Der Herr (Īśvara) zog die Sehne bis ans Ohr und ließ den Pfeil fliegen; in eben diesem Augenblick verbrannte der Pfeil Tripurāntakas Tripura zu Asche—und offenbarte Pati, den höchsten Meister, als den schnellen Zerstörer der Fesseln.

Word by Word

• मुमोच (mumoca): released/let fly

• बाणम् (bāṇam): the arrow

• विप्रेन्द्राः (viprendrāḥ): O best of Brahmins

• व्याकृष्य (vyākṛṣya): having drawn back

• आकर्णम् (ākarṇam): up to the ear (full draw)

• ईश्वरः (īśvaraḥ): the Lord, the Supreme Ruler (Pati)

• तत्क्षणात् (tatkṣaṇāt): in that very instant

• त्रिपुरम् (tripuram): Tripura (the three cities/fortresses)

• दग्ध्वा (dagdhvā): having burned

• त्रिपुरान्तकरः (tripurāntakaraḥ): the end-maker/destroyer of Tripura (Shiva)

• शरः (śaraḥ): the arrow/shaft

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Ishvara/Tripurantaka)
• Tripura

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It portrays Śiva as Īśvara (Pati) whose single, decisive act burns away the “fortress” of limitation—an inner meaning mirrored in Linga worship, where devotion and right knowledge aim at dissolving pasha (bondage) and revealing the Lord’s supremacy.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva-tattva is shown as sovereign, effortless potency: with a fully drawn bow and one arrow, He accomplishes cosmic dissolution instantly, indicating His independent power (svātantrya) as Pati over all conditioned states.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse primarily highlights Pāśupata intent: concentrated, single-pointed resolve (ekāgratā) that “burns” bondage—applicable to Linga-pūjā with focused japa and inner offering, rather than a detailed external rite in this specific line.