Shloka 44

अन्धकादिदैत्ययुद्धे वीरकविजयः — Vīraka’s Victory over Andhaka’s Forces

Devanagari script

कंठे गृहीत्वा तु गुहां प्रविष्टो रमासहस्राणि विसर्जितानि । गौरी च सन्मानशतैः प्रपूज्य गुहामुखे वीरकमेव स्थापयन्

Transliteration

kaṃṭhe gṛhītvā tu guhāṃ praviṣṭo ramāsahasrāṇi visarjitāni | gaurī ca sanmānaśataiḥ prapūjya guhāmukhe vīrakameva sthāpayan

Translation

Seizing him by the throat, he entered the cave and cast away thousands of treasures. Then, having honored Goddess Gaurī with hundreds of marks of reverence, he stationed Vīraka right at the mouth of the cave as a guard.

Word by Word

• कण्ठे: on the neck / at the throat
• कण्ठे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• गृहीत्वा: having seized
• गृहीत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having seized/taken’

• तु: but, then
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle)

• गुहाम्: cave
• गुहाम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रविष्टः: entered
• प्रविष्टः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (entered)

• रमासहस्राणि: thousands of riches (lit. Ramās)
• रमासहस्राणि: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रमा-सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (रमाणां सहस्राणि = thousands of Ramā/wealth)

• विसर्जितानि: discarded, let go
• विसर्जितानि: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; अत्र कर्मपदत्वेन (objects)

• गौरी: Gaurī
• गौरी: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सन्मानशतैः: with hundreds of honors
• सन्मानशतैः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्मान-शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सन्मानानां शतानि)

• प्रपूज्य: having honored
• प्रपूज्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having worshipped/honored’

• गुहामुखे: at the mouth of the cave
• गुहामुखे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा-मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गुहायाः मुखम्)

• वीरकम्: Vīraka (name)
• वीरकम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• स्थापयन्: placing, setting
• स्थापयन्: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद-भाव; causative sense ‘स्थापयति’ (causes to stand/places)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Gauri (Parvati)
• Viraka

FAQs

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

The verse highlights dharma in action: uncontrolled attachment to wealth is renounced, while due reverence is offered to Gaurī (Śakti). In Shaiva Siddhānta, honoring Śiva’s Śakti and restraining possessiveness supports inner purification (mala-kṣaya) and steadiness on the path.

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

Though the Liṅga is not named here, the verse reflects Saguna devotion through visible acts—offering honor to Gaurī and maintaining disciplined order (a guard at the entrance). Such outward reverence and right conduct are understood as supports to Liṅga-worship and temple-like sanctity (protecting what is sacred).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is disciplined reverence: approach the divine with respect and self-restraint. Practically, one may pair Gaurī-Śiva worship with the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and cultivate vairāgya (non-attachment) toward riches, treating devotion and conduct as a single sādhana.