Shloka 11

जालन्धरस्य दूतप्रेषणम् — Jalandhara Sends an Envoy to Kailāsa

The Provocation of Śiva

Devanagari script

इन्द्रस्य गजरत्नं चोच्चैःश्रवोरत्नमुत्तमम् । बलाद्गृहीतं सहसा पारिजा ततरुस्तथा

Transliteration

indrasya gajaratnaṃ coccaiḥśravoratnamuttamam | balādgṛhītaṃ sahasā pārijā tatarustathā

Translation

Indra’s jewel among elephants, Airāvata, and the excellent jewel among horses, Ucchaiḥśravas, were seized by force at once; and likewise the Pārijāta wish-fulfilling tree was taken away.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रस्य: of Indra
• इन्द्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive—of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• गजरत्नम्: the elephant-jewel (Airāvata)
• गजरत्नम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—taken)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज-रत्न (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; contextually object among items

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

• उच्चैःश्रवः-रत्नम्: the jewel Uccaiḥśravas (divine horse)
• उच्चैःश्रवः-रत्नम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—taken)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्चैःश्रवस्-रत्न (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘Uccaiḥśravas’ as first member

• उत्तमम्: excellent; best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying रत्नम्

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause, manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘by force/forcibly’

• गृहीतम्: seized; taken
• गृहीतम्: Kriya (क्रिया/participial predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु) → गृहीत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘taken/seized’ (agreeing with implied वस्तु/रत्नम्)

• सहसा: suddenly; forcibly
• सहसा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• पारिजात-तरुः: the Pārijāta tree
• पारिजात-तरुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—item listed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारिजात-तरु (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘the pārijāta tree’

• तथा: also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/also)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/conjunctive)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Airavata
• Ucchaihshravas
• Parijata

FAQs

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

It highlights the fragility of even heavenly prosperity—true refuge is Pati (Lord Śiva), not the transient splendor of Svarga, which can be lost through conflict and karma.

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

By contrasting perishable divine possessions with the eternal Lord, it supports Saguna Śiva-upāsanā (such as Liṅga worship) as a stable path for grace, purification, and liberation beyond celestial status.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice vairāgya with steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and reinforce devotion through simple Śiva-pūjā (optionally with bhasma and rudrākṣa) to seek what cannot be seized or lost—Śiva’s anugraha.