Shloka 25

तुलसी-शङ्खचूडोपाख्यानम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and the Tulasī Episode

Prelude to Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Fall

Devanagari script

आवयोस्समरः कान्ते पूर्णमब्दं बभूव ह । नाशो बभूव सर्वेषामसुराणां च कामिनि

Transliteration

āvayossamaraḥ kānte pūrṇamabdaṃ babhūva ha | nāśo babhūva sarveṣāmasurāṇāṃ ca kāmini

Translation

O beloved, the battle between us indeed continued for a full year; and, O dear one, it brought about the destruction of all the asuras.

Word by Word

• आवयोः: of us two
• आवयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen. 6), द्विवचन (du.)

• समरः: battle
• समरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• कान्ते: O beloved
• कान्ते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Voc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• पूर्णम्: full/complete
• पूर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण

• अब्दम्: a year
• अब्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• बभूव: became/was
• बभूव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

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

• नाशः: destruction
• नाशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• बभूव: occurred/was
• बभूव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.)/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.) (context: m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen. 6), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषण

• असुराणाम्: of the demons
• असुराणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen. 6), बहुवचन (pl.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• कामिनि: O lovely one
• कामिनि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Voc.), एकवचन (sg.)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Asuras

FAQs

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

The verse portrays Shiva as Pati—the sovereign Lord who sustains dharma by destroying asuric forces. In Shaiva Siddhanta, this also points inward: the ‘asuras’ symbolize ego, violence, and delusion that are ultimately overcome by the Lord’s grace and righteous power.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna Shiva—Shiva with attributes—acting in history to protect devotees and restore cosmic order. Linga worship is devotion to that same Shiva as the accessible form through which the devotee seeks protection, purification, and the Lord’s governing grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with disciplined devotion, supported by Shaiva markers like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudraksha, to subdue ‘asuric’ impulses and align oneself with Shiva’s dharmic power.