Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

त्वद्ध्यानबलतो मेघाश्चांबु वर्षंति शंकर । त्वद्ध्यानबलतश्शक्रस्त्रिलोकीं पाति पुत्रवत्

Transliteration

tvaddhyānabalato meghāścāṃbu varṣaṃti śaṃkara | tvaddhyānabalataśśakrastrilokīṃ pāti putravat

Translation

O Śaṅkara, by the power of meditation upon You, the clouds pour down rainwater; by the power of meditation upon You, Śakra (Indra) protects the three worlds as though they were his own children.

Word by Word

• त्वत्-ध्यान-बलतः: through the power of your meditation
• त्वत्-ध्यान-बलतः: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्वत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्वत्-ध्यानम् = your meditation; ध्यान-बलम् = power of meditation); तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययम् (बलतः = from/through the power)

• मेघाः: clouds
• मेघाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• अम्बु: water
• अम्बु: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (कर्मरूपेण द्रव्यवाचक)

• वर्षन्ति: rain down
• वर्षन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• शंकर: O Śaṅkara
• शंकर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• त्वत्-ध्यान-बलतः: through the power of your meditation
• त्वत्-ध्यान-बलतः: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्वत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययम् (from/through the power)

• शक्रः: Indra (Śakra)
• शक्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• त्रिलोकीम्: the three worlds
• त्रिलोकीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः लोकाः = three worlds); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पाति: protects
• पाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पुत्रवत्: like (one’s) son
• पुत्रवत्: Prakara (प्रकार/रीति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुत्रवत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग)
• Form: उपमानार्थक अव्यय (vat = like/as); क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Yuddhakhaṇḍa account; the verse is framed as praise addressed to Lord Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Supports the devotional claim that worldly protections (rain, kingship, Indra’s guardianship) are secondary and derive efficacy from Śiva-bhakti and dhyāna.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Hydrological order (megha-varṣa) and political-cosmic guardianship (Indra over trilokī) are presented as dependent on Śiva-dhyāna.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Indra (Shakra)

FAQs

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

It teaches that all sustaining powers in the cosmos—rainfall and righteous governance—ultimately operate through Śiva’s grace; even devas succeed by dhyāna on Pati (Lord Śiva), highlighting dependence of the worlds (paśu) on the Lord rather than on limited agents.

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

The verse praises Saguna Śiva (Śaṅkara) as accessible to meditation; in Purāṇic practice this meditation is commonly centered on the Śivaliṅga as His manifest support (ālambana), through which devotees and even devas align with His sustaining will.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Śiva-dhyāna supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) is implied; practitioners may pair it with Tripuṇḍra bhasma and rudrākṣa as Shaiva aids for steadiness in meditation and devotion.