Shloka 43

सतीकृतप्रार्थना तथा परतत्त्वजिज्ञासा — Satī’s Prayer and Inquiry into the Supreme Principle

Devanagari script

भक्तहेतोरहं देवि रव्युपर्यभवं किल । अतिक्रोधान्वितः शूलं गृहीत्वाऽन्वजयं पुरा

Transliteration

bhaktahetorahaṃ devi ravyuparyabhavaṃ kila | atikrodhānvitaḥ śūlaṃ gṛhītvā'nvajayaṃ purā

Translation

O Goddess, for the sake of My devotee I once went up above the Sun; then, filled with intense wrath, I took up the trident and pursued the offender in former times.

Word by Word

• भक्त-हेतोः: for the sake of the devotee(s)
• भक्त-हेतोः: Hetu (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• रवि-उपरि: above the Sun
• रवि-उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययपद; उपरि = अव्यय (preposition/adverb), समासभङ्गे 'रवेः उपरि' (locative sense)

• अभवम्: I became; I was
• अभवम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किल: indeed; it is said
• किल: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle indicating report/indeed)

• अति-क्रोध-अन्वितः: filled with great anger
• अति-क्रोध-अन्वितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √इ/अन्वि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषण (of अहम्)

• शूलम्: trident/spear
• शूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of गृहीत्वा)

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययकृदन्त; पूर्वकाल (having taken)

• अन्वजयम्: I pursued/conquered
• अन्वजयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जि (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: अनु-

• पुरा: formerly; once
• पुरा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: formerly)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse evokes a solar-transcending, wrathful protector motif; not explicitly linked here to a named Jyotirliṅga.

Significance: Meditation on Śiva’s śūla-bearing protective aspect is traditionally held to remove fear and subdue hostile forces (general).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Transcending the Sun (ravy-upari): hyperbolic cosmic supremacy—Śiva beyond solar order, pursuing the offender for the devotee’s sake.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva’s role as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who responds to sincere bhakti: He transcends cosmic limits (even ‘above the Sun’) and acts decisively to protect the devotee, showing that divine grace overrides worldly power.

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

It emphasizes Saguna Shiva—the compassionate, personal Lord who intervenes in history for devotees. Linga worship trains the mind to see the same Shiva, both transcendent and immanent, as the ever-present protector accessible through devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steadfast bhakti supported by japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and remembrance of Shiva as ‘protector of devotees’; offering bilva leaves and maintaining Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a daily vow can reinforce this devotional posture.