Shloka 3

जालन्धरस्य दूतप्रेषणम् — Jalandhara Sends an Envoy to Kailāsa

The Provocation of Śiva

Devanagari script

अथो जलंधरो दैत्यः कालाधीनः प्रनष्टधीः । दूतमाह्वाय यामास सैंहिकेयं विमोहितः

Transliteration

atho jalaṃdharo daityaḥ kālādhīnaḥ pranaṣṭadhīḥ | dūtamāhvāya yāmāsa saiṃhikeyaṃ vimohitaḥ

Translation

Then the demon Jalandhara—his intellect ruined, driven under the compulsion of Time—became deluded and summoned a messenger, calling for Saiṃhikeya.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• उ: indeed
• उ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis

• जलंधरः: Jalaṃdhara
• जलंधरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलंधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दैत्यः: the demon
• दैत्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to जलंधरः

• कालाधीनः: subject to Time/fate
• कालाधीनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of जलंधरः

• प्रनष्टधीः: one whose understanding was ruined
• प्रनष्टधीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + नष्ट + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘whose intellect is lost’

• दूतम्: a messenger
• दूतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आह्वाय: having called
• आह्वाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + ह्वा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having summoned/called’

• यामास: undertook / proceeded
• यामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; idiomatically ‘set about/undertook’

• सैंहिकेयं: Saiṃhikeya (son of Siṃhikā)
• सैंहिकेयं: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैंहिकेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; proper name/epithet

• विमोहितः: deluded
• विमोहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मुह् (धातु) + मोहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate of जलंधरः

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as the Lord of Time who subdues all beings; the verse’s ‘kālādhīna’ evokes Śiva as Mahākāla who ultimately dissolves pride and delusion.

Significance: Darśana of Mahākāla is sought for fearlessness before death/time and for cutting worldly bondage.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Kāla as an overarching cosmic force compelling beings (kālādhīna)

Characters & Entities

• Jalandhara
• Kāla
• Saiṃhikeya

FAQs

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

It highlights that when consciousness is ruled by Kāla (the binding force of time and fate), discernment collapses (pranaṣṭadhī) and one acts from moha—showing the Shaiva view that bondage is sustained by delusion, not true power.

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

By contrast, devotion to Saguna Shiva (as Linga and Lord) restores right understanding and steadiness; the asura’s Kāla-driven delusion shows the opposite condition—life turned away from Shiva’s grace and clarity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter moha with Shiva-smaraṇa and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as aids for steadiness and discernment.