Shloka 14

तारकपीडितदेवशरणागतिḥ — The Devas Seek Refuge from Tāraka

Devanagari script

तस्य सेनापतिः क्रौंचो महापाप्यस्ति दानवः । स पातालतलं गत्वा बाधते त्वनिशं प्रजाः

Transliteration

tasya senāpatiḥ krauṃco mahāpāpyasti dānavaḥ | sa pātālatalaṃ gatvā bādhate tvaniśaṃ prajāḥ

Translation

His commander is Krauñca, a grievously sinful Dānava. Descending to Pātāla, he ceaselessly harasses the people.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/its
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप (genitive singular of 'tad')

• सेनापतिः: commander (of the army)
• सेनापतिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेनापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: सेना + पति (commander of the army)

• क्रौञ्चः: Krauñca (name)
• क्रौञ्चः: समानााधिकरण (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• महापापी: greatly sinful
• महापापी: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: महा + पापी (very sinful)

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Verb/copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd/प्रथम), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दानवः: demon
• दानवः: समानााधिकरण (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप

• पातालतलम्: the region/surface of Pātāla (netherworld)
• पातालतलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातालतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: पातालस्य तलम् (surface/region of Pātāla)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund, ल्यप्/क्त्वा), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having gone)

• बाधते: harasses/oppresses
• बाधते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd/प्रथम), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थ (but/indeed)

• अनिशम्: constantly
• अनिशम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनिश (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रजाः: the subjects/people
• प्रजाः: कर्म (Karma/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Krauñca

FAQs

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

It highlights adharma as persistent harm inflicted on living beings; such cruelty marks a soul bound by pāśa (bondage) and ripens suffering, while dharma and devotion to Pati (Shiva) lead toward protection and liberation.

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

By portraying relentless demonic oppression, the narrative implicitly points to Saguna Shiva as the compassionate protector who restores order; Linga-worship in the Purana is repeatedly presented as a refuge that invokes Shiva’s grace to remove fear and affliction.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is protective Shiva-sādhana—japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with devotion, along with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as Shaiva disciplines for steadiness and divine safeguarding.