Shloka 15

पिप्पलादावतारकथनम्

Account of the Pippalāda Avatāra

Devanagari script

भवद्वधार्थं जनितस्त्वष्ट्रायं तपसा सुराः । वृत्रो नाम महातेजाः सर्वदैत्याधिपो महान्

Transliteration

bhavadvadhārthaṃ janitastvaṣṭrāyaṃ tapasā surāḥ | vṛtro nāma mahātejāḥ sarvadaityādhipo mahān

Translation

To accomplish your destruction, the gods, through austerity, caused Tvaṣṭṛ to beget a being—Vṛtra by name—of mighty splendor, a great lord over all the daityas.

Word by Word

• bhavat-vadha-artham: for the purpose of killing you
• bhavat-vadha-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vadha (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (purpose): भवतः वधस्य अर्थम् = ‘for the purpose of your killing’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• janitaḥ: was born/produced
• janitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त): जनितः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘was born/was produced’

• tvaṣṭrā: by Tvaṣṭṛ
• tvaṣṭrā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvaṣṭṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• ayam: this (one)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• surāḥ: the gods
• surāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• vṛtraḥ: Vṛtra
• vṛtraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नामनिर्देशक (particle indicating name)

• mahā-tejāḥ: of great splendor
• mahā-tejāḥ: Kartṛviśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: महत् तेजः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sarva-daitya-adhipaḥ: lord of all demons
• sarva-daitya-adhipaḥ: Kartṛviśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + daitya (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सर्वेषां दैत्यानाम् अधिपः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mahān: great
• mahān: Kartṛviśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Tvaṣṭṛ
• Vṛtra
• Devas
• Daityas

FAQs

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

It highlights how tapas can generate formidable worldly power, yet such power—when driven by hatred and violence—remains bound to conflict; Shaiva Siddhanta emphasizes turning austerity toward Shiva (Pati) for liberation rather than toward destruction.

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

The narrative contrasts power obtained through ritual austerity with the higher refuge of Saguna Shiva worship: devotion to Shiva as the Linga-centered Lord purifies intention and redirects spiritual effort from enmity to grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is to practice tapas as Shiva-upasana—japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudraksha—so austerity becomes a means of inner purification rather than aggression.