Shloka 22

अध्याय ३८ — काली-शंखचूड-युद्धे अस्त्रप्रयोगः

Kālī and Śaṅkhacūḍa: Mantra-Weapons and Surrender in Battle

Devanagari script

सा काली तं समालोक्यायांतं प्रज्वलितं रुषा । प्रसार्य मुखमाहारं चक्रे तस्य च पश्यतः

Transliteration

sā kālī taṃ samālokyāyāṃtaṃ prajvalitaṃ ruṣā | prasārya mukhamāhāraṃ cakre tasya ca paśyataḥ

Translation

That Kāḷī, seeing him approach—blazing with wrath—opened her mouth wide and, even as he looked on, made him her food (devoured him).

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• काली: Kālī
• काली: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• समालोक्य: having looked at
• समालोक्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आलोक् (धातु) → समालोक्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable)

• आयान्तम्: coming/approaching
• आयान्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + या (धातु) → आयान्त् (शतृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तम् इति विशेषण

• प्रज्वलितम्: blazing
• प्रज्वलितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + ज्वल् (धातु) → प्रज्वलित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तम् इति विशेषण

• रुषा: with anger
• रुषा: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुष्/रुषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• प्रसार्य: having stretched/opened
• प्रसार्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + सृ (धातु) → प्रसार्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• मुखम्: mouth
• मुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• आहारम्: food/intake
• आहारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• चक्रे: made/did
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पश्यतः: of (him) who was watching
• पश्यतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश् (धातु) → पश्यत् (शतृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; तस्य इति विशेषण (while he was seeing)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Āghoramūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Kali

FAQs

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

It portrays the irresistible sovereignty of Divine Śakti: when adharma manifests as violent, ego-driven fury, the Goddess dissolves it instantly—symbolizing the consuming power of Time (Kāla) that ends arrogance and restores cosmic order under Śiva’s dominion.

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

In Shaiva Siddhanta, Śiva is Pati (Lord) and Śakti is His inseparable power; the verse highlights Saguna divine action—protection and dissolution—supporting the devotee’s understanding that Linga-worship invokes both Śiva’s transcendence and His manifest power to remove obstacles and hostile forces.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is protective japa and surrender: recite the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with bhakti, and contemplate Kāḷī/Śakti as the force that consumes inner anger, fear, and ego—offering them into Śiva-consciousness.