Shloka 37

अध्याय १७ — देवपलायनं, विष्णोः प्रतियुद्धं, जलंधरक्रोधः

Devas’ Rout, Viṣṇu’s Counterattack, and Jalandhara’s Wrath

Devanagari script

एभिरेवायुधैरुग्रैर्दैत्या हि बहवो हताः । महाजौ दुर्मदा वीराश्छिन्नदेहा मृतिं गताः

Transliteration

ebhirevāyudhairugrairdaityā hi bahavo hatāḥ | mahājau durmadā vīrāśchinnadehā mṛtiṃ gatāḥ

Translation

By those very fierce weapons, many Daityas were slain. In that great battle, the arrogant heroes—their bodies cut apart—went to their death.

Word by Word

• एभिः: by these
• एभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphasis/only)

• आयुधैः: with weapons
• आयुधैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• उग्रैः: fierce
• उग्रैः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (आयुधैः इति)

• दैत्याḥ: demons
• दैत्याḥ: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (दैत्याḥ इति)

• हताः: were slain
• हताः: क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्मणि/भावे (‘slain’)

• महाजौ: in the great battle
• महाजौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + जौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः: महान् जौ (great battle)

• दुर्मदाः: arrogant/frenzied
• दुर्मदाः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• वीराः: heroes/warriors
• वीराः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• छिन्नदेहाः: with bodies cut down/mutilated
• छिन्नदेहाः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः: छिन्नः देहः येषाम् (as descriptive; sense close to बहुव्रीहि)

• मृतिम्: death
• मृतिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• गताः: went to/reached
• गताः: क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्तरि (‘having gone/reached’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Daityas

FAQs

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

It highlights that durmada (arrogant ego) rooted in adharma ends in ruin; in Shaiva Siddhanta, this reflects the working of divine order where Pati (the Lord) upholds dharma and humbles the ego that binds the soul.

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

The battle imagery points to Saguna Shiva’s protective, dharma-restoring power: devotees remember the Lord as the guardian who removes inner enemies like pride, just as adharma is cut down in the Purana’s war narrative.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is ego-purification through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with humility, optionally accompanied by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to conquer mada (pride).