Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अथ दैत्यस्स मायावी दितिमाश्वास्य दैत्यराट् । देवाः कथं सुजेयाः स्युरित्युपायमर्चितयत्

Transliteration

atha daityassa māyāvī ditimāśvāsya daityarāṭ | devāḥ kathaṃ sujeyāḥ syurityupāyamarcitayat

Translation

Then the cunning king of the Daityas comforted Diti and began to devise a stratagem, thinking, “How may the Devas be conquered with ease?”

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/beginning particle)

• दैत्यः: the demon
• दैत्यः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• मायावी: illusion-skilled
• मायावी: कर्तृविशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मायाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• दितिम्: Diti
• दितिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)

• आश्वास्य: having consoled
• आश्वास्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having consoled/encouraged’

• दैत्यराट्: king of demons
• दैत्यराट्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य + राट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa): ‘दैत्यानां राट्’

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (plural)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• सुजेयाः: easily conquerable
• सुजेयाः: कर्तृपूरक (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + जेय (प्रातिपदिक; √जि)
• Form: कृदन्त (future passive participle/gerundive -य), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• स्युः: might be
• स्युः: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural), परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरण (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• उपायम्: a means/strategy
• उपायम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)

• अर्चितयत्: devised/pondered (a means)
• अर्चितयत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्चितय (धातु-प्रत्ययान्त; causative denom.)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; अर्थः ‘अचिन्तयत्/अर्चितयत्’ पाठभेदसम्भवः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Diti
• Daityas
• Devas

FAQs

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

It highlights the adharma-driven mind: when separated from devotion and right knowledge, one turns to māyā (deceit) and mere strategy, which in Shaiva Siddhanta stands opposed to grace (anugraha) and liberation.

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

By contrast: the Daitya seeks victory through manipulation, while Linga/Saguna Shiva worship trains the mind toward purity, surrender, and reliance on Shiva’s protecting power rather than coercive tactics.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter māyā with steadiness in japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined worship (e.g., Tripuṇḍra bhasma and rudrākṣa), cultivating clarity instead of deceptive intent.