Shloka 25

राहोर्विमोचनानन्तरं जलन्धरस्य सैन्योद्योगः — Rahu’s Aftermath and Jalandhara’s Mobilization

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । हृषीकेश महाविष्णो देवाश्चात्र समागताः । जलंधरकृतापीडाश्शरणं मेऽतिविह्वलाः

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | hṛṣīkeśa mahāviṣṇo devāścātra samāgatāḥ | jalaṃdharakṛtāpīḍāśśaraṇaṃ me'tivihvalāḥ

Translation

Īśvara said: “O Hṛṣīkeśa, O Mahāviṣṇu! The gods have assembled here, grievously afflicted by Jalandhara’s oppression. In great distress they have come, taking refuge in Me.”

Word by Word

• īśvaraḥ: Īśvara (the Lord)
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (masc nom sg)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• hṛṣīkeśa: O Hṛṣīkeśa
• hṛṣīkeśa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛṣīkeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8), एकवचन (masc voc sg)

• mahā-viṣṇo: O great Viṣṇu
• mahā-viṣṇo: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (masc voc sg)

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन (masc nom pl)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• atra: here
• atra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• samāgatāḥ: have assembled / have come
• samāgatāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle used predicatively); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन (masc nom pl: 'have come/assembled')

• jalaṃdhara-kṛta-āpīḍāḥ: afflicted by Jalaṃdhara's oppression
• jalaṃdhara-kṛta-āpīḍāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jalaṃdhara + kṛta + āpīḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष ('afflicted by what was done by Jalaṃdhara')

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (neuter acc sg)

• me: my
• me: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (genitive singular: 'my')

• ati-vihvalāḥ: greatly distressed
• ati-vihvalāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati + vihvala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव ('exceedingly distressed')

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Īśvara)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Afflicted devas taking refuge exemplifies the Siddhānta doctrine that liberation/protection begins with turning to Pati; Śiva’s acceptance signals anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Devas
• Jalandhara

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati—taking refuge in Śiva—as the decisive spiritual posture: even powerful devas, when bound by adversity, turn to Pati (the Lord) whose grace alone removes oppression and restores dharma.

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

In the Shiva Purana’s devotional frame, approaching Śiva for refuge is concretized through Saguna worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—where devotees seek protection, purification, and the Lord’s intervention through prayer, abhiṣeka, and remembrance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is śaraṇāgati with japa and prayer—chanting “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while mentally surrendering one’s distress to Śiva; accompanying practices like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa can support steady devotion.