Shloka 16

Gṛhapati’s Vow: Turning Grief into Mṛtyuñjaya–Mahākāla Sādhana (गृहपतेः प्रतिज्ञा—मृत्युंजय-महाकालजपः)

Devanagari script

क्षीरोदमथनोद्भूतं प्रलयानलसन्निभम् । पीत्वा हलाहलं घोरमरक्षद्भुवनत्रयम्

Transliteration

kṣīrodamathanodbhūtaṃ pralayānalasannibham | pītvā halāhalaṃ ghoramarakṣadbhuvanatrayam

Translation

Born from the churning of the Ocean of Milk and resembling the fire of cosmic dissolution, the terrible poison Hālāhala was drunk by Śiva; thus He protected the three worlds.

Word by Word

• kṣīra-uda-mathana-udbhūtam: arisen from the churning of the Milk-Ocean
• kṣīra-uda-mathana-udbhūtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣīra + uda + mathana + udbhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (क्षीरोदस्य मथनात् उद्भूतम्); ‘udbhūta’ = भू (धातु) + उद् + क्त

• pralaya-anala-sannibham: like the fire of dissolution
• pralaya-anala-sannibham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pralaya + anala + sannibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्रलय-अनलवत् सन्निभम्)

• pītvā: having drunk
• pītvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्यय; ‘having drunk’

• halāhalam: Hālāhala poison
• halāhalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: halāhala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘हलाहलम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• arakṣat: protected
• arakṣat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhuvana-trayam: the three worlds
• bhuvana-trayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuvana + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (त्रीणि भुवनानि)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse recalls Śiva’s Hālāhala-pāna during the samudra-manthana, by which He contains the world-threatening toxin and preserves the three worlds.

Significance: Meditation on Nīlakaṇṭha grants protection (rakṣā), removal of inner poison (viṣa = ego/kleśa), and steadiness in dharma under crisis.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: samudra-manthana; pralaya-fire simile (pralayānala)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Halahala
• Kshiroda (Ocean of Milk)
• Bhuvanatraya (Three Worlds)

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord whose compassion absorbs the world’s poison (pāśa) and preserves beings, revealing His protective grace as the ground of spiritual refuge.

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

The act of drinking Hālāhala is a Saguna līlā (divine deed) remembered in Neelakantha worship; devotees honor the Liṅga as the living presence of Śiva who contains and neutralizes negativity while sustaining the cosmos.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Neelakantha while japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offering water (abhisheka) to the Liṅga and contemplating surrender of inner “poisons” (anger, pride, craving) into His protection.