Shloka 39

जालन्धरस्य दूतप्रेषणम् — Jalandhara Sends an Envoy to Kailāsa

The Provocation of Śiva

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । इत्युक्तौ गिरिजेशेन सगणः करुणात्मना । राहुं तत्याज सहसा ब्राह्मणेति श्रुताक्षरः

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | ityuktau girijeśena sagaṇaḥ karuṇātmanā | rāhuṃ tatyāja sahasā brāhmaṇeti śrutākṣaraḥ

Translation

Sanatkumāra said: Thus addressed by Girijeśa (Lord Śiva), compassionate by nature, he—together with his attendants—immediately released Rāhu upon hearing the word “Brāhmaṇa.”

Word by Word

• sanat-kumāraḥ: Sanatkumāra
• sanat-kumāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanat (प्रातिपदिक) + kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-sūcaka (वाक्यार्थ-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-निपात (quotative particle)

• uktau: when (this) was said
• uktau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past participle) ‘ukta’; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/भावे प्रयोगः—‘उक्ते (सति)’ = after it was said

• girijeśena: by Girijeśa (Śiva)
• girijeśena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: girijeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—गिरिजायाः ईशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• sa-gaṇaḥ: (he) with his gaṇa(s)
• sa-gaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—गणेन सह (सह-तत्पुरुष)

• karuṇā-ātmanā: being compassionate
• karuṇā-ātmanā: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karuṇā (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—करुणा आत्मा यस्य/करुणात्मा (बहुव्रीहि-प्राय), रूपेण तृतीया ‘करुणात्मना’

• rāhum: Rāhu
• rāhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• tatyāja: abandoned/left
• tatyāja: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातुः—त्यज् (परित्यागे)

• sahasā: suddenly
• sahasā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: suddenly/quickly)

• brāhmaṇa: “brāhmaṇa”
• brāhmaṇa: Vācyārtha (वाच्यार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; उद्धरणे (as quoted word)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-sūcaka (वाक्यार्थ-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative)

• śruta-akṣaraḥ: having heard the word/syllable
• śruta-akṣaraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śruta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—श्रुतम् अक्षरम् यस्य (बहुव्रीहि-प्राय/तत्पुरुष-प्रयोग)

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Parvati

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Rahu

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva’s karuṇā (compassion) and His upholding of dharma: merely hearing “Brāhmaṇa” becomes a decisive cue to stop harm and release the captive, teaching restraint and reverence for sacred order.

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

As Saguna Śiva (Girijeśa), the Lord acts within the world to protect dharma through compassion and right command; Linga-worship similarly trains devotees to embody Śiva’s qualities—especially mercy, self-control, and protection of the righteous.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pair japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a vow of ahiṁsā and dayā (non-harm and compassion), consciously pausing harmful impulses when reminded of dharma—just as the heard word “Brāhmaṇa” immediately restrained action.