Shloka 5

Devanagari script

स विदर्भनृपः कृत्वा सार्धं तैर्दारुणं रणम् । प्रनष्टोरुबलः शाल्वैर्निहतो दैवयोगतः

Transliteration

sa vidarbhanṛpaḥ kṛtvā sārdhaṃ tairdāruṇaṃ raṇam | pranaṣṭorubalaḥ śālvairnihato daivayogataḥ

Translation

The king of Vidarbha fought a dreadful battle together with them; but, his great army being ruined, he was slain by the Śālvas—by the conjunction of fate (daiva).

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• विदर्भ-नृपः: the king of Vidarbha
• विदर्भ-नृपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpurusha)

• कृत्वा: having done / having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (gerund/absolutive), ‘having done’

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakari (सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक अव्यय (adverb/preposition) ‘together/with’

• तैः: by/with them
• तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• दारुणम्: terrible
• दारुणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• रणम्: battle
• रणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रनष्ट-उरु-बलः: whose great strength was destroyed
• प्रनष्ट-उरु-बलः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रनष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √नश्) + उरु (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—‘यस्य उरुबलं प्रनष्टम्’ (whose great strength was lost)

• शाल्वैः: by the Śālvas
• शाल्वैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• निहतः: was slain
• निहतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थ (passive sense)

• दैव-योगतः: due to fate / by divine dispensation
• दैव-योगतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुषात् अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; ‘-तः’ (ablatival adverb) = ‘because of/through’; अर्थः—दैवयोगात्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Kālāntaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga legend; the verse foregrounds daiva-yoga (the operation of fate/time), aligning with Śiva as Kālāntaka—Lord who ends time—showing saṃhāra at the personal level (death) as a spiritual turning-point.

Significance: Contemplation of death and the collapse of worldly supports is a Siddhānta spur toward śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) and seeking Śiva’s anugraha beyond karma’s net.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kāla/daiva as the impersonal cosmic pressure culminating in death (micro-saṃhāra)

Characters & Entities

• Vidarbha king
• Shalvas

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva view that worldly power and armies are impermanent, and that outcomes unfold through daiva in accordance with karma; this encourages humility and turning the mind toward Pati (Lord Shiva) rather than relying solely on external strength.

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

By showing the limits of human might under daiva, the narrative implicitly points to seeking refuge in Saguna Shiva through Linga-worship—recognizing Shiva as the Lord who governs the fruits of actions and grants protection and inner steadiness beyond victory and defeat.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate surrender through japa of the Panchakshara mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and steady daily worship, accepting results as Shiva’s ordinance while maintaining dharmic effort.