Shloka 7

अथ तौ गुरुशक्रौ च कुर्वंतौ गमनं मुदा । आलोक्य पुरुषं भीमं मार्गमध्येऽद्भुताकृतिम्

atha tau guruśakrau ca kurvaṃtau gamanaṃ mudā | ālokya puruṣaṃ bhīmaṃ mārgamadhye'dbhutākṛtim

Then those two—Bṛhaspati, the preceptor, and Śakra (Indra)—went on their way in joy. On the path they beheld a fearsome person of wondrous, extraordinary form standing before them.

अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपक्रम)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequencing particle)
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन
गुरुशक्रौBṛhaspati and Śakra (Indra)
गुरुशक्रौ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगुरु + शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः (गुरुः च शक्रः च)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
कुर्वन्तौdoing, making
कुर्वन्तौ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (Present Active Participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद-प्रयोग
गमनम्going, journey
गमनम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगमन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
मुदाwith joy
मुदा:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमुद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
आलोक्यhaving seen
आलोक्य:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआ + लोक् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)
पुरुषम्a man/person
पुरुषम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
भीमम्terrible, formidable
भीमम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootभीम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
मार्गमध्येin the middle of the path
मार्गमध्ये:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमार्ग + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मार्गस्य मध्ये)
अद्भुताकृतिम्of wondrous form
अद्भुताकृतिम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअद्भुत + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अद्भुता आकृतिः यस्य)

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

I
Indra (Śakra)
B
Bṛhaspati (Guru)

FAQs

It highlights how even the highest celestial authorities (Indra and his guru) must pause before the mysterious and awe-inspiring manifestations that arise in the Lord’s cosmic play—prompting humility, discernment, and reverence for divine will.

The verse foreshadows a tangible, perceivable (saguṇa) divine intervention—an ‘adbhuta’ form that redirects the narrative. In Shaiva understanding, such appearances point back to Shiva’s governance of events, which Linga-worship ritually acknowledges as the accessible sign of the Supreme.

The practical takeaway is to cultivate alertness and surrender when confronted by the unknown: steady the mind with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and approach extraordinary experiences with humility rather than ego.