Shloka 9

Devanagari script

आक्रान्तसप्तपातालकुहरोपि महाबलः । प्राप्ते कलियुगे घोरे मृदुतामुपयास्यति

Transliteration

ākrāntasaptapātālakuharopi mahābalaḥ | prāpte kaliyuge ghore mṛdutāmupayāsyati

Translation

Selbst jener Mächtige—der die höhlenhaften Tiefen der sieben Pātāla zu überrennen vermag—wird, wenn das schreckliche Kali-Yuga eintritt, weich werden und an Kraft verlieren.

Word by Word

• आक्रान्त-सप्त-पाताल-कुहरः: who has overrun the caves of the seven netherworlds
• आक्रान्त-सप्त-पाताल-कुहरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-क्रम् (धातु) → आक्रान्त (कृदन्त, क्त) + सप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पाताल (प्रातिपदिक) + कुहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past passive participle) ‘आक्रान्त’ + तत्पुरुषसमास; विशेषण

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक निपात (particle: even/also)

• महाबलः: Mahābala (the mighty one)
• महाबलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता (subject)

• प्राप्ते: when (it) has come; upon the arrival (of)
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; लोके/काले अधिकरणे (locative absolute sense)

• कलियुगे: in the Kali age
• कलियुगे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (time-locative)

• घोरे: terrible
• घोरे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘कलियुगे’)

• मृदुताम्: gentleness; softness
• मृदुताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृदुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• उपयास्यति: will approach; will become (attain)
• उपयास्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana tradition to the sages at Naimisharanya within Kotirudra context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Mahābala is portrayed as a tremendous power that can ‘overrun’ even the seven pātālas, yet becomes ‘softened’ in Kali—an image used in kṣetra-māhātmya literature to explain changing efficacy/conditions across yugas rather than a Jyotirliṅga origin.

Significance: Implicit teaching: Kali-yuga conditions diminish worldly ‘bala’; thus refuge in Śiva (pati) and kṣetra/arcana becomes the stabilizing means for pāśa-kṣaya and protection.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Advent of Kali Yuga (kali-praveśa)

Characters & Entities

• Kali Yuga

FAQs

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

It highlights the Kali Yuga principle of decline: even immense worldly strength becomes weakened, implying that lasting refuge is in Shiva-bhakti and dharma rather than raw power.

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

In Kotirudra’s Jyotirlinga-oriented setting, the verse supports the idea that in Kali Yuga the accessible, compassionate Saguna form—Shiva as Jyotirlinga—becomes the practical support for devotees when other strengths fail.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Take refuge in steady daily Shiva-upasana in Kali Yuga—japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined worship of the Linga, supported by traditional aids like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and rudraksha where applicable.