Shloka 33

Devanagari script

शिवो रक्षां करोत्वद्यासुराणां भयतः प्रभुः । नान्यथा शरणं लोके भक्तवत्सलतश्शिवात्

Transliteration

śivo rakṣāṃ karotvadyāsurāṇāṃ bhayataḥ prabhuḥ | nānyathā śaraṇaṃ loke bhaktavatsalataśśivāt

Translation

May Lord Śiva, the sovereign Lord, protect you today from the fear of the asuras. In this world there is no other refuge—because of His tender love for devotees—apart from Śiva.

Word by Word

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• रक्षाम्: protection
• रक्षाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• करोतु: may (he) do
• करोतु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (today/now)

• असुराणाम्: of the Asuras
• असुराणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भयतः: from fear (of them)
• भयतः: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative: from)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (otherwise)

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of implied ‘is’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• भक्तवत्सलतः: because of (his) love for devotees
• भक्तवत्सलतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त-वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक; भक्त + वत्सल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular); हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause)

• शिवात्: from Śiva
• शिवात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s protective refuge in the Kotirudra context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Pashupatinatha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General śaraṇāgati teaching: taking refuge in Śiva removes fear (bhaya-nivṛtti) and grants protection (rakṣā) through grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: śivo rakṣāṃ karotvadyāsurāṇāṃ bhayataḥ prabhuḥ | nānyathā śaraṇaṃ loke bhaktavatsalataśśivāt

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Asuras

FAQs

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

It teaches śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in Pati—Lord Shiva—who, out of bhaktavatsalatā (devotee-loving grace), removes fear and grants protection; this aligns with Shaiva Siddhanta where liberation and safety arise through the Lord’s anugraha (grace).

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

The verse emphasizes Shiva as the accessible, grace-bestowing Lord (Saguna for the devotee). Linga worship becomes the concrete act of approaching this refuge—seeking protection, purification, and the Lord’s compassionate presence through archana, abhisheka, and remembrance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily refuge through japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and simple Linga worship—offering water with a prayer for protection—supported by wearing rudraksha or applying tripuṇḍra as reminders of surrender to Shiva.