Shloka 29

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

Vasiṣṭha’s Śāpa Narrative

Devanagari script

तस्या निर्भद्रमन्विच्छन् राजा निर्विण्णमानसः । चकार नानोपायान्स जपव्रतमखादिकान्

Transliteration

tasyā nirbhadramanvicchan rājā nirviṇṇamānasaḥ | cakāra nānopāyānsa japavratamakhādikān

Translation

Seeking her well-being and freedom from misfortune, the king—his mind weighed down with sorrow—undertook many means: mantra-japa, sacred vows, and sacrificial rites and the like.

Word by Word

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• निर्भद्रम्: freedom from danger
• निर्भद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्-भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘safety/absence of harm’

• अन्विच्छन्: seeking
• अन्विच्छन्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘seeking’

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निर्विण्णमानसः: with dejected mind
• निर्विण्णमानसः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विण्ण-मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (निर्विण्णं मानसं यस्य सः)

• चकार: did/made
• चकार: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नाना: various
• नाना: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: various)

• उपायान्: means/remedies
• उपायान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• जपव्रतमखादिकान्: japa, vows, sacrifices, and the like
• जपव्रतमखादिकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप-व्रत-मख-आदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (जपः च व्रतम् च मखः च आदयः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Vaidyanātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Vaidyanātha

Sthala Purana: Vaidyanātha is famed as the ‘Divine Physician’ aspect of Śiva who removes deep afflictions; the verse’s focus on remedies (upāya), japa and vrata aligns with seeking Śiva’s healing grace beyond mere worldly measures.

Significance: Prāyaścitta, relief from suffering and karmic affliction; seeking Śiva’s curative anugraha through vrata and worship.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It shows a Shaiva principle: when worldly distress arises, one should turn to dharmic disciplines—mantra-japa, vrata, and worship—seeking auspiciousness through devotion and inner purification rather than mere anxiety.

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

The listed remedies (japa, vows, sacrifices) are classical supports for Saguna Shiva worship, typically centered on Linga-puja, where disciplined practice steadies the mind and invites Shiva’s grace for welfare and protection.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa with vrata (a regulated vow/observance) is explicitly indicated; in Shaiva practice this is commonly aligned with Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), along with supportive rites such as puja and yajna.