Shloka 12

देवर्षि-प्रश्नः तथा असुर-वध-हेतुनिवेदनम् | The Devas’ Petition and the Cause for Slaying Asuras

Devanagari script

अराधितेषु तेष्वीश कथं सृष्टिस्तथा स्थितिः । अतश्च भविता युक्तं नित्यंनित्यं वृषध्वज

Transliteration

arādhiteṣu teṣvīśa kathaṃ sṛṣṭistathā sthitiḥ | ataśca bhavitā yuktaṃ nityaṃnityaṃ vṛṣadhvaja

Translation

O Lord, if those deities are already worshipped, how could creation and sustenance truly proceed? Therefore it is fitting that You—O Bull-bannered One (Vṛṣadhvaja)—be worshipped always, at all times.

Word by Word

• अ-राधितेषु: when (they are) not propitiated
• अ-राधितेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-राधित (प्रातिपदिक; √राध् (धातु) + क्त; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); नञ्-समास/निषेध-पूर्वपद (negated participle)

• तेषु: in/among them
• तेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• ईश: O Lord
• ईश: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• सृष्टिः: creation
• सृष्टिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; √सृज् (धातु) + क्तिन्)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• तथा: likewise / so
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in that manner/likewise)

• स्थितिः: maintenance / continuance
• स्थितिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक; √स्था (धातु) + क्तिन्)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: सम्बन्धसूचक (Logical connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (causal/consequential indeclinable: therefore/from this)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• भविता: will be / will happen
• भविता: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Future/लृट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• युक्तम्: proper / fitting
• युक्तम्: विधेय (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √युज् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); भावे प्रयोगः (impersonal/predicative: 'it is proper')

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative: 'always')

• अनित्यम्: not always / impermanent
• अनित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ-नित्य (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative: 'not always/impermanent')

• वृषध्वज: O Bull-bannered (Śiva)
• वृषध्वज: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); तत्पुरुष-समास (whose banner is the bull)

Speaker

Satī (addressing Lord Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Articulates the Siddhānta priority of īśvara-pūjā: worship of Śiva as the enabling ground for sṛṣṭi and sthiti; motivates daily worship in Śiva temples.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati

FAQs

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

The verse asserts Śiva as the supreme Pati: without His grace and lordship, creation (sṛṣṭi) and maintenance (sthiti) cannot be truly established; hence constant devotion to Śiva is presented as the fitting spiritual orientation.

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

By emphasizing Śiva as the indispensable Lord behind cosmic functions, it supports Saguna worship—such as reverence to the Śiva-liṅga—as a direct means to align with the supreme source rather than treating other powers as independent.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is nitya-ārādhana (daily worship): regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” along with simple liṅga-pūjā (water/leaf offering) as a steady, time-tested Shaiva discipline.