Shloka 18

मित्रसह-राज्ञो रक्षत्व-शापकथा — The Curse that Turns King Mitrasaha into a Rakshasa

Vasiṣṭha’s Śāpa Narrative

Devanagari script

स कदाचिद्वने क्वापि रममाणौ किशोरकौ । अपश्यदन्तकाकारो नवोढौ मुनिदम्पती

Transliteration

sa kadācidvane kvāpi ramamāṇau kiśorakau | apaśyadantakākāro navoḍhau munidampatī

Translation

Once, somewhere in a forest, that fearsome one—having the appearance of Death—saw a newly married sage-couple, still youthful, sporting together in delight.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कदाचित्: once, at some time
• कदाचित्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadā-cit (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• क्वापि: somewhere
• क्वापि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva + api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• रममाणौ: sporting (two persons)
• रममाणौ: Karma (कर्म/object of seeing)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ram (धातु) + śānac (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present middle participle/शानच्), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (dual), पुंलिङ्ग; अर्थ: ‘sporting/enjoying’

• किशोरकौ: two youths
• किशोरकौ: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiśoraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; अत्र द्वितीया (object in apposition to रममाणौ)

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्तकाकारः: one with the form of Death
• अन्तकाकारः: Karta (कर्ता/subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaka + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: अन्तकस्य आकारः (having the appearance of Death)

• नवोढौ: newly married (two)
• नवोढौ: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava + ūḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय: नवः ऊढः (newly married)

• मुनिदम्पती: the sage-couple (husband and wife)
• मुनिदम्पती: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni + dampatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष: मुनेः दम्पती (a sage-couple)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as the Lord of Time who subdues death; the verse’s Antaka-appearance evokes the Mahākāla principle though not a direct shrine-episode.

Significance: Darśana of Mahākāla is sought for fearlessness before death and relief from kāla-doṣa; remembrance of Mahākāla reframes ‘death’ as Śiva’s instrument.

Characters & Entities

• Antaka (Death)
• muni (sage)
• muni's wife

FAQs

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

The verse introduces the motif of Antaka (Death) confronting worldly joy, reminding the seeker that impermanence drives one toward Pati (Shiva) as the true refuge beyond fear and change.

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

In Kotirudrasaṃhitā, such encounters with Death often serve as narrative pressure that leads devotees to take shelter in Saguna Shiva—worship of the Jyotirlinga/Linga as the accessible form of the transcendent Lord who grants protection and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A fitting Shaiva takeaway is Mrityunjaya-bhāva: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and remembrance of Shiva as the conqueror of Death, supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steady devotion.