Shloka 68

Adhyaya 85 — The Gods’ Hymn to the Goddess and the Emergence of Kaushiki; Shumbha Sends His Envoy

Sanskrit

परमैश्वर्यमतुलं प्राप्स्यसे मत्परिग्रहात् ।

एतद्बुद्ध्या समालोच्य मत्परिग्रहतां व्रज ॥

Transliteration

paramaiśvaryamatulaṃ prāpsyase matparigrahāt /

etad buddhyā samālocya matparigrahatāṃ vraja

Translation

By becoming mine you will attain supreme, unequalled sovereignty. Reflect on this with your intellect and enter into the state of being accepted and possessed by me.

Word by Word

• परम: supreme
• परम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg adjective)

• ऐश्वर्यम्: sovereignty, lordship
• ऐश्वर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• अतुलम्: incomparable
• अतुलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg adjective)

• प्राप्स्यसे: you will attain
• प्राप्स्यसे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (ātmanepada)

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे अव्ययवत्-पूर्वपद (genitive sense as prefix); ‘my’ (pronominal base used in compound)

• परिग्रहात्: from (my) acceptance/protection
• परिग्रहात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन (ablative sg)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc sg)

• बुद्ध्या: with understanding
• बुद्ध्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन (instrumental sg)

• समालोच्य: having considered
• समालोच्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + लोच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे अव्ययवत्-पूर्वपद (genitive sense as prefix); ‘my’

• परिग्रहताम्: the state of being under (my) protection
• परिग्रहताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिग्रहता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc sg); भाववाचक (state/condition)

• व्रज: go, enter
• व्रज: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद (parasmaipada)

Speakers

• Śumbha addressing the Goddess

Primary Deities

• Durgā
• Śumbha

Shakti Aspects

• Durgā / Bhagavatī

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• False promise of sovereignty
• Ego’s bargaining
• Freedom vs possession

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The asura offers ‘aiśvarya’ as bait, implying that sovereignty comes from attachment to him. Devi’s stance will invert this: true sovereignty is intrinsic (svābhāvikī śakti) and is proven by victory over arrogance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic narrative embedded in vaṃśānucarita: the Purana uses dialogue to dramatize moral psychology (temptation, pride, discernment).

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Parigraha’ (taking/possessing) signals bondage; in yogic terms it is grasping (aparigraha’s opposite). Devi, as liberation, cannot be obtained through grasping—only through transformation (the battle as inner sādhanā).