Shloka 3

Adhyaya 82 — The Rise of Mahishasura and the Manifestation of the Goddess from the Gods’ Tejas

Sanskrit

ततः पराजिता देवाः पद्मयोनिं प्रजापतिम् ।

पुरस्कृत्य गतास्तत्र यत्रेश-गरुडध्वजौ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ parājitā devāḥ padmayoniṃ prajāpatim | puraskṛtya gatās tatra yatreśa-garuḍadhvajau ||

Translation

Then the defeated gods, placing the Lotus-born Prajāpati (Brahmā) at their head, went to the place where Īśa (Śiva) and the Garuḍa-bannered one (Viṣṇu) were.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (thereupon/from that)

• पराजिताः: defeated
• पराजिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराजि (धातु) → पराजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of devāḥ)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पद्मयोनिम्: the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• पद्मयोनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म+योनि (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (padmaṃ yoniḥ yasya = Brahmā)

• प्रजापतिम्: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पद्मयोनिम् इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• पुरस्कृत्य: having put in front; having taken as leader
• पुरस्कृत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस्+कृ (धातु) → पुरस्कृत्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वा); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having placed in front/approached with as leader)

• गताः: went
• गताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP/क्त) used as finite sense; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (they went)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: where)

• ईशः: Īśa (Śiva)
• ईशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गरुडध्वजौ: the one with Garuḍa as his banner (Viṣṇu)
• गरुडध्वजौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड+ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (garuḍaḥ dhvajaḥ yasya = Viṣṇu)

Speakers

• Ṛṣi (narrator)

Primary Deities

• Brahmā
• Śiva (Īśa)
• Viṣṇu (Garuḍadhvaja)

Shakti Aspects

• Implied: the devas will seek a power beyond themselves
• culminating in Devī’s emergence from combined tejas

Key Themes

• Seeking refuge
• Divine council
• Triad involvement (Brahmā-Śiva-Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

In crisis, even the mighty seek higher counsel; humility and coordinated effort are prerequisites for restoration of order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara narrative with a theologically significant convergence of deities leading to the Devī’s avatāra-like manifestation.

What is the esoteric significance?

Approaching Śiva and Viṣṇu with Brahmā in front indicates that creation (Brahmā) seeks preservation and dissolution-transformation powers—foreshadowing their synthesis into Śakti.