Shloka 3

Kirātāvatāra, Durvāsā-upākhyāna, and the Logic of Divine Rescue

Kirātākhyam-avatāra; Pāṇḍava-prasaṅga

Devanagari script

तत्रैव सूर्य्यदत्तां वै स्थालीं चाश्रित्य ते तदा । कालं च वाहयामासुस्सुखेन किल पाण्डवाः

Transliteration

tatraiva sūryyadattāṃ vai sthālīṃ cāśritya te tadā | kālaṃ ca vāhayāmāsussukhena kila pāṇḍavāḥ

Translation

There itself, then, the Pāṇḍavas took refuge in the cooking vessel (sthālī) given by the Sun, and they passed their time in ease.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (restriction/emphasis)

• सूर्य्यदत्ताम्: given by the Sun
• सूर्य्यदत्ताम्: Karma (कर्म) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्य-दत्त (प्रातिपदिक; √दा (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (given by the Sun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (emphasis)

• स्थालीम्: cooking pot/vessel
• स्थालीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आश्रित्य: having relied on
• आश्रित्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having resorted to/depending on’

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वाहयामासुः: spent (time)
• वाहयामासुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वह् (धातु) णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; णिजन्त (causative) ‘caused to pass/spent’

• सुखेन: comfortably
• सुखेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (instrumental of manner)

• किल: it is said/indeed
• किल: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (reportedly/indeed)

• पाण्डवाः: the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; it narrates providential sustenance (the Sun-given vessel) enabling the exile’s continuity.

Significance: Highlights ‘sthiti’ as maintenance through daiva/karmic order—support that allows tapas and dharma to continue.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Surya
• Pandavas

FAQs

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

The verse highlights divine anugraha (grace): when one lives in dharma, the Lord’s cosmic order sustains life’s necessities, allowing the devotee to remain steady and peaceful amid hardship.

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

Though Shiva is not named here, the Purana’s Shaiva frame reads such protection as the working of Saguna Shiva’s grace through other deities—showing that all supportive powers ultimately function under Pati (Shiva), the supreme Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily gratitude and offering (naivedya) before eating, accompanied by japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—cultivating reliance on Shiva’s sustaining presence.