Shloka 21

Devanagari script

अथ दुष्टनिहंत्रा वै सावज्ञेन हरेण तौ । विज्ञातौ च क्षणादास्तां चांचल्याल्लोचनोद्भवात्

Transliteration

atha duṣṭanihaṃtrā vai sāvajñena hareṇa tau | vijñātau ca kṣaṇādāstāṃ cāṃcalyāllocanodbhavāt

Translation

Then Hari—the destroyer of the wicked—noticed those two, regarding them with slight disdain. In an instant he knew them, for their restless motion arose from the movement of his eyes.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conj./discourse particle)

• दुष्टनिहन्त्रा: by the slayer of the wicked
• दुष्टनिहन्त्रा: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट + निहन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-तत्पुरुष (दुष्टानां निहन्त्रा)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सावज्ञेन: with contempt/disdain
• सावज्ञेन: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अवज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण; समास: कर्मधारय (अवज्ञया सह)

• हरेण: by Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरेण: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• तौ: those two
• तौ: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• विज्ञातौ: were recognized
• विज्ञातौ: कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृस्थानी (predicate of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; ‘were recognized/known’

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

• क्षणात्: in a moment; instantly
• क्षणात्: अपादान (Apādāna/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादानार्थ (from/within a moment)

• आस्ताम्: the two remained/stood
• आस्ताम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• चाञ्चल्यात्: due to restlessness
• चाञ्चल्यात्: हेतु/कारण (Hetu/Kāraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाञ्चल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; कारणार्थ (cause)

• लोचनोद्भवात्: arising from (his) eyes
• लोचनोद्भवात्: हेतु/कारण (Hetu/Kāraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोचन + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोचनस्य उद्भवः)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga setting; the theological pivot is divine discernment: Hari’s glance exposes the disguised wicked—anticipating restoration of order.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the swift discernment of divine intelligence: adharma is recognized instantly, and the forces that remove wickedness become manifest. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, this reflects how grace and right-knowledge (jñāna) quickly expose and dissolve impurity when the Divine wills it.

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

Though Hari is named here, the Purana’s battle context supports Saguna worship: the Divine acts through recognizable forms and powers to restore dharma. Linga-worship trains the devotee to see the same supreme reality behind all divine functions—protection, recognition of evil, and the removal of obstacles.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is cultivating steady inner “gaze” (dṛṣṭi) through japa of the Pañcākṣarī—"Om Namaḥ Śivāya"—so restlessness (cāñcalya) is reduced and discernment becomes immediate; applying vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) can be taken as a daily reminder to burn impurity and stabilize awareness.