Shloka 14

कैलासमार्गे शङ्करस्य परीक्षा — Śiva Tests the Approachers on the Kailāsa Path

Devanagari script

अथ चुक्रोध देवेशस्त्रैलोक्यैश्वर्यगर्वितः । उवाच वचनं चैव तं निर्भर्त्स्य जटाधरम्

Transliteration

atha cukrodha deveśastrailokyaiśvaryagarvitaḥ | uvāca vacanaṃ caiva taṃ nirbhartsya jaṭādharam

Translation

Then the lord of the gods, puffed up with pride in his sovereignty over the three worlds, flared up in anger; and, rebuking that matted-haired ascetic, he spoke these words.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रसङ्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमसूचक/अनन्तरार्थक (indeclinable; then/thereupon)

• चुक्रोध: became angry
• चुक्रोध: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• देवेशः: lord of the gods
• देवेशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘देवानाम् ईशः’

• त्रैलोक्य-ऐश्वर्य-गर्वितः: proud of the lordship of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्य-ऐश्वर्य-गर्वितः: Karta-anvayi Viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्वित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘गर्वित’ (proud); तत्पुरुष-समासः—‘त्रैलोक्यस्य ऐश्वर्येण गर्वितः’ (proud due to sovereignty of the three worlds)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वचनम्: a statement/words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction ‘and’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/निश्चयार्थक (particle; indeed/just)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• निर्भर्त्स्य: having rebuked
• निर्भर्त्स्य: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्भर्त्स् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-समर्थ भविष्यत्कृदन्त/ल्यप्-प्राय प्रयोगः; अव्ययभावे (gerund-like) ‘having rebuked/after rebuking’ (contextual absolutive sense)

• जटाधरम्: the matted-haired one
• जटाधरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा-धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘जटां धरति’ (one who bears matted hair)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the episode; the quoted speech is by the Devesha—Indra—addressing Shiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Indra

FAQs

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

It highlights how even divine authority can be veiled by pride; anger and rebuke arise from identification with power, while Śiva (Pati) remains the transcendent refuge beyond the ego’s bonds (pāśa).

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

Calling Śiva “jaṭādhara” points to His accessible Saguna aspect—an ascetic Lord who receives devotion; the verse contrasts external status (lordship of worlds) with true reverence toward Śiva, the inner Lord worshipped as Liṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is humility in japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and offering with a subdued ego—mentally applying bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) as remembrance that pride burns away in Śiva’s grace.