Shloka 43

राहोः शिरच्छेदन-कारणकथनम् / The Account of Rāhu’s Beheading

Cause and Background

Devanagari script

पुरमावृत्य तिष्ठत्तद्दृष्ट्वा सैन्यबलं महत् । निर्ययुस्त्वमरावत्या देवा युद्धाय दंशिताः

Transliteration

puramāvṛtya tiṣṭhattaddṛṣṭvā sainyabalaṃ mahat | niryayustvamarāvatyā devā yuddhāya daṃśitāḥ

Translation

Seeing that great force of the army standing there after surrounding the city, the gods—arrayed and armed for battle—marched out from Amarāvatī to fight.

Word by Word

• पुरम्: the city
• पुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आवृत्य: having surrounded
• आवृत्य: Kriya (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (having surrounded)

• तिष्ठत्: standing
• तिष्ठत्: Karma (कर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), परस्मैपदी; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘सैन्यबलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; निर्देशक-विशेषण (that)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (having seen)

• सैन्य-बलम्: the army’s strength
• सैन्य-बलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सैन्यस्य बलम्)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (कर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणं—सैन्यबलम्

• निर्ययुः: went out
• निर्ययुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• तु: then/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (adversative/emphatic particle)

• अमरावत्याः: from Amarāvatī
• अमरावत्याः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमरावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• युद्धाय: for battle
• युद्धाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the purpose of)

• दंशिताः: armed/ready
• दंशिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंशित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle), ‘सन्नद्ध/सज्ज’ अर्थे

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Amarāvatī

FAQs

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

The verse portrays the devas mobilizing against an overwhelming force, symbolizing the soul’s inner resolve to confront adharma and bondage; in Shaiva Siddhanta, such conflict ultimately succeeds only under Pati (Śiva) who governs the restoration of order.

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

Though the verse is martial in tone, its narrative setting in the Shiva Purana implies that divine order is upheld through Śiva’s sovereign will; Saguna Śiva worship (Linga-arcana, devotion, and surrender) is presented as the stabilizing refuge when cosmic forces are in upheaval.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is readiness and steadiness: begin the day with Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and maintain disciplined conduct; this ‘arming’ of the mind supports dharma when facing inner conflict.