Shloka 4

बाणासुरस्य शङ्करस्तुतिः तथा युद्धयाचनम् | Bāṇāsura’s Praise of Śiva and Petition for Battle

Devanagari script

बाण उवाच । देवदेव महादेव सर्वदेवशिरोमणे । त्वत्प्रसादाद्बली चाहं शृणु मे परमं वचः

Transliteration

bāṇa uvāca | devadeva mahādeva sarvadevaśiromaṇe | tvatprasādādbalī cāhaṃ śṛṇu me paramaṃ vacaḥ

Translation

Bāṇa said: “O God of gods, O Mahādeva, crest-jewel of all the deities! By Your grace I too am mighty. Please hear my supreme word.”

Word by Word

• बाण: Bāṇa
• बाण: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative Singular (प्रथमा एकवचन)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Singular

• देवदेव: O God of gods
• देवदेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘god of gods’; Masculine, Vocative Singular (सम्बोधन एकवचन)

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) proper epithet; Masculine, Vocative Singular

• सर्वदेवशिरोमणे: O crest-jewel of all gods
• सर्वदेवशिरोमणे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva-deva-śiro-maṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘crest-jewel of all gods’; Masculine, Vocative Singular (सम्बोधन एकवचन)

• त्वत्प्रसादात्: from your grace
• त्वत्प्रसादात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘your grace’; Masculine, Ablative Singular (पञ्चमी एकवचन)

• बली: strong
• बली: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative Singular (प्रथमा एकवचन); predicate adjective to अहम्

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

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative Singular (प्रथमा एकवचन)

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्, imperative), Parasmaipada, Madhyama-puruṣa, Singular

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive/Dative Singular (6th/षष्ठी or 4th/चतुर्थी एकवचन); here dative ‘to me’

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative Singular (द्वितीया एकवचन); adjective to वचः

• वचः: word/speech
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative Singular (द्वितीया एकवचन)

Speaker

Bāṇa (Banasura)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: devadeva mahādeva sarvadevaśiromaṇe | tvatprasādādbalī cāhaṃ śṛṇu me paramaṃ vacaḥ

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva as the supreme Lord (“God of gods”) and teaches a Shaiva Siddhānta-aligned principle: all capacity and power in the bound soul (paśu) ultimately arise through the Lord’s grace (Śiva-prasāda), not mere ego or self-effort.

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

Bāṇa addresses Śiva with personal epithets (Devadeva, Mahādeva), reflecting Saguna devotion—approaching the Lord as a compassionate, hearable, responsive deity. Such reverential address is the same devotional mood used in Liṅga worship, where the devotee seeks Śiva’s prasāda.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is prasāda-buddhi and humility in japa: repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while mentally attributing all strength and success to Śiva’s grace, beginning any prayer by honoring Him as Devadeva and Mahādeva.