Shloka 34

Droṇācārya’s Tapas and the Manifestation of Śiva: The Birth-Grant of Aśvatthāmā (अश्वत्थामा-अवतार-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मास्त्रमनिवार्य्यं तदन्यैरस्त्रैर्महाप्रभम् । उत्तरागर्भमुद्दिश्य चिक्षेप स महाप्रभुः

Transliteration

brahmāstramanivāryyaṃ tadanyairastrairmahāprabham | uttarāgarbhamuddiśya cikṣepa sa mahāprabhuḥ

Translation

Jenes Brahmāstra, unwiderstehlich und von großer Macht lodernd, konnte durch keine anderen Waffen aufgehalten werden. Darum schleuderte der Mächtige es, auf Uttarās Schoß gerichtet.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्म-अस्त्रम्: the Brahmā-weapon (Brahmāstra)
• ब्रह्म-अस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘ब्रह्मणः अस्त्रम्’

• अनिवार्यम्: irresistible/unavoidable
• अनिवार्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + निवार्य (प्रातिपदिक; √वृ/√वार् ‘to restrain’ from causative/gerundive sense)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण अस्त्रम्; ‘not to be averted/irresistible’

• तत्: those/that
• तत्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (understood with अन्यैः) / or as pronominal qualifier in compound-like phrase; here: ‘by those other…’

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण अस्त्रैः

• अस्त्रैः: with weapons
• अस्त्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• महा-प्रभम्: very powerful
• महा-प्रभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘महान् प्रभः’ विशेषण अस्त्रम्

• उत्तरā-गर्भम्: Uttarā’s womb
• उत्तरā-गर्भम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तरā (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘उत्तरायाः गर्भम्’

• उद्दिश्य: aiming at/targeting
• उद्दिश्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having aimed at/with reference to’

• चिक्षेप: threw/shot
• चिक्षेप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महा-प्रभुः: the mighty lord
• महा-प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘महान् प्रभुः’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: astra-tejas (apocalyptic weapon-fire motif)

Characters & Entities

• Uttarā
• Brahmāstra

FAQs

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

It highlights the terrifying momentum of adharma when empowered by extreme force: an act aimed at harming the innocent becomes a karmic crisis that only higher divine grace and dharma can resolve. Shaiva teaching emphasizes surrender to Pati (Shiva) as the ultimate refuge when worldly power becomes uncontrollable.

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

The narrative stress on an “irresistible” weapon points to the limits of human and even celestial instruments. In Shaiva Siddhanta, Saguna Shiva (worshiped as Linga) is the compassionate Lord who alone can neutralize such binding forces and restore dharma, making Linga-worship a refuge for protection and purification.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is protective japa and surrender: repeat the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as reminders of Shiva’s guardianship, praying for the safeguarding of life and the restraint of destructive impulses.