Shloka 3

Adhyaya 91 — The Gods’ Hymn to Kātyāyanī and the Goddess’ Prophecy of Future Manifestations

Sanskrit

आधारभूता जगतस्त्वमेकामहीस्वरूपेण यतः स्थितासि ।

अपां स्वरूपस्थितया त्वयैतदाप्याय्यते कृत्स्नमलङ्घ्यवीर्ये ॥

Transliteration

ādhārabhūtā jagatas tvam ekā mahī-svarūpeṇa yataḥ sthitāsi | apāṃ svarūpa-sthitayā tvayaitad āpyāyyate kṛtsnam alaṅghya-vīrye ||

Translation

You alone are the foundation of the world, since you abide in the form of the earth. And by you, abiding as the form of waters, this entire universe is nourished—O you of unsurpassable power.

Word by Word

• ādhāra-bhūtā: having become the support; the supporting one
• ādhāra-bhūtā: Pratijñā/Predicate (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (कृदन्त, भू धातु; भूत/क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘आधारः भूता’ = आधाररूपेण भूता

• jagataḥ: of the world
• jagataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ekā: alone; one
• ekā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (tvam)

• mahī-svarūpeṇa: in the form of earth
• mahī-svarūpeṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मही-स्वरूपेण = पृथिवीरूपेण)

• yataḥ: from which; whereby
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-समुच्चय/कारणार्थक (from which/whereby)

• sthitā: (you are) established
• sthitā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स्थित’ = having stood/being established

• asi: are
• asi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• apām: of the waters
• apām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ap (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (बहुवचन-प्रयोगः), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• svarūpa-sthitayā: by (your) abiding in (their) own form
• svarūpa-sthitayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + sthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वरूपे स्थितिः)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (here: प्रथमा as subject of passive)

• āpyāyyate: is nourished; is filled
• āpyāyyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + pyā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): ‘is nourished/filled’

• kṛtsnam: entire
• kṛtsnam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (etat)

• alaṅghya-vīrye: O you of unsurpassable power
• alaṅghya-vīrye: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: alaṅghya (कृदन्त, लङ्घ् धातु; यत्/ण्यत् with negation) + vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (अलङ्घ्यं वीर्यं यस्याः सा)

Speakers

• Devas addressing Devī

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Devī (Nārāyaṇī)
• Devas (collective)

Shakti Aspects

• Bhū-devī (earth principle)
• Āpaḥ (water principle) as Shakti manifestations

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Panentheism (divine immanence)
• Elements (bhū/āpaḥ)
• Sustenance of life

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Nature is not treated as inert matter but as the Goddess’ living presence. This sacralizes earth and water, implying a dharmic duty of reverence, restraint, and protection toward the natural world.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Touches sarga (creation) and sthiti (sustenance) conceptually by identifying Devī as the elemental basis and nourishing power sustaining the cosmos.

What is the esoteric significance?

Earth (stability) and water (nourishment/flow) symbolize grounding and vitalization in sādhana: the One Shakti manifests as both steadiness and replenishing rasa (life-sap).