Shloka 49

दुर्वाससः तपः-प्रभावः तथा देवाः ब्रह्म-विष्ण्वोः शरणागमनम् | Durvāsā’s Tapas and the Devas’ Appeal to Brahmā and Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

अथाम्बरीषस्स नृपः प्रणनाम च तं मुनिम् । शिवावतारं संज्ञाय स्वपरीक्षार्थमागतम्

Transliteration

athāmbarīṣassa nṛpaḥ praṇanāma ca taṃ munim | śivāvatāraṃ saṃjñāya svaparīkṣārthamāgatam

Translation

Then King Ambarīṣa bowed down to that sage. Recognizing him as an incarnation of Śiva who had come to test him, the king offered reverent obeisance.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable; discourse particle)

• ambarīṣaḥ: Ambarīṣa
• ambarīṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambarīṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम

• nṛpaḥ: king
• nṛpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to Ambarīṣa

• praṇanāma: bowed down
• praṇanāma: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-ṇam (प्र√णम् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• tam: that (him)
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• munim: sage
• munim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śiva-avatāram: Śiva’s incarnation
• śiva-avatāram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: śivasya avatāraḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• saṃjñāya: having recognized
• saṃjñāya: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-jñā (सम्√ज्ञा धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having recognized/known’

• sva-parīkṣā-artham: for (his) own testing
• sva-parīkṣā-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + parīkṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/उद्देश्य: svasyāḥ parīkṣāyāḥ arthaḥ); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक

• āgatam: who had come
• āgatam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-gam (आ√गम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकृत् (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘one who has come’ (qualifying muni)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ambarisha
• a sage (muni)

FAQs

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

It highlights the mark of a mature devotee: when Śiva’s grace appears in a testing form, the devotee responds with humility (praṇāma) and discernment, strengthening dharma and devotion rather than ego.

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

The verse presents Saguna Śiva—Śiva approachable through form—as a sage-incarnation. Just as the Liṅga is a sacred, worshipful manifestation of Śiva, the devotee learns to honor Śiva’s presence even when it comes disguised as a test.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is praṇāma with japa: bow inwardly and repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) when facing trials, maintaining steadiness (niyama) and devotion (bhakti) as the true ‘test’ of the soul.