Shloka 16

अन्धक-हिरण्याक्ष-प्रसङ्गः, वराहावतारः, दंष्ट्राभूषणं च

Devanagari script

त्वयैव देवेश विभो कृतश् च जयः सुराणामसुरेश्वराणाम् अहो प्रदत्तस्तु वरः प्रसीद वाग्देवता वारिजसंभवाय

Transliteration

tvayaiva deveśa vibho kṛtaś ca jayaḥ surāṇāmasureśvarāṇām aho pradattastu varaḥ prasīda vāgdevatā vārijasaṃbhavāya

Translation

O Herr der Devas, allgegenwärtiger Meister—durch Dich allein wurde der Sieg der Götter über die Herren der Asuras vollbracht. Wahrlich, die Gabe (vara) ist gewährt; sei gnädig. Möge die Göttin der Rede (Vāc-devī) dem lotusgeborenen Brahmā ihre Gunst schenken.

Word by Word

• tvayā-eva: by you alone

• deva-īśa: Lord of the gods

• vibho: all-pervading one

• kṛtaḥ: made, accomplished

• ca: and

• jayaḥ: victory

• surāṇām: of the Devas

• asura-īśvarāṇām: of the rulers/lords of the Asuras

• aho: indeed, behold

• pradattaḥ: granted, bestowed

• tu: indeed

• varaḥ: boon

• prasīda: be gracious, be pleased

• vāk-devatā: the deity of speech (Sarasvatī)

• vārija-saṃbhavāya: to the lotus-born (Brahmā)

Speaker

Devas (addressing Shiva), within Suta’s narration to the sages of Naimisharanya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas
• Asuras
• Brahma
• Sarasvati

FAQs

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

It frames victory and auspicious outcomes as arising from Shiva’s prasāda (anugraha). In Linga worship, the devotee approaches the Linga as Pati—the supreme Lord whose grace removes obstacles and grants boons.

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

Shiva is addressed as Deveśa and Vibhu—sovereign over the gods and all-pervading—implying that even cosmic victories and the ordering of creation occur through the Lord’s will, not merely through the power of the Devas.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The key practice is śaraṇāgati expressed as stuti (praise) and prārthanā (supplication) for prasāda—central to Shaiva pūjā and to Pāśupata discipline, where the Pashu seeks the Pati’s grace to loosen pāśa (bondage).