Shloka 62

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

Cause and Background

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं देवास्सुराचार्यप्रकीर्तितम् । जयाशां त्यक्तवंतस्ते भयविह्वलितास्तथा

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | śrutvā tadvacanaṃ devāssurācāryaprakīrtitam | jayāśāṃ tyaktavaṃtaste bhayavihvalitāstathā

Translation

Sanatkumāra said: Hearing those words, proclaimed by the preceptor of the gods, the devas abandoned their hope of victory and became overwhelmed with fear.

Word by Word

• सनत्-कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्-कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having heard’

• तत्-वचनम्: that statement
• तत्-वचनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• सुर-आचार्य-प्रकीर्तितम्: proclaimed by the preceptor of the gods (Bṛhaspati)
• सुर-आचार्य-प्रकीर्तितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of तद्वचनम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कीर्त्/कीर्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘pra-kīrtita’ = proclaimed; विशेषणं ‘तद्वचनम्’

• जय-आशाम्: hope of victory
• जय-आशाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of त्यक्तवन्तः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक) + आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्यक्तवन्तः: having abandoned
• त्यक्तवन्तः: Karta (कर्ता; agrees with देवाः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (perfect participle active), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्तरि प्रयोग ‘having abandoned’

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to देवाः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• भय-विह्वलिताः: bewildered by fear
• भय-विह्वलिताः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of देवाः/ते)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + विह्वलित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √विह्वल्/विह्वल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘made bewildered’; विशेषणं ‘देवाः/ते’

• तथा: thus/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), समुच्चय/प्रकार (thus/also)

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Devas
• Brihaspati

FAQs

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

It shows how worldly power and confidence (jayāśā) can collapse when confronted by a higher, divinely-ordained situation; in Shaiva understanding, true refuge is in Pati (Śiva), not in mere strategy or pride.

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

The devas’ fear highlights the need to turn from external reliance to devotional surrender; in the Shiva Purana this is typically resolved through approaching Śiva in saguna worship—often through Liṅga-upāsanā—as the accessible form of the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

When fear arises, take shelter in japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady breath, and reinforce devotion through simple Śiva-pūjā (water offering to the Liṅga) as an antidote to bhaya (anxiety).