Shloka 40

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

Kirātākhyam-avatāra; Pāṇḍava-prasaṅga

Devanagari script

धृतराष्ट्रेन दुष्टेन प्रथमं च ह्यचक्षुषा । धर्मस्त्यक्तः स्वयं लोभाद्युष्माकं राज्यमाहृतम्

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭrena duṣṭena prathamaṃ ca hyacakṣuṣā | dharmastyaktaḥ svayaṃ lobhādyuṣmākaṃ rājyamāhṛtam

Translation

First, by the wicked Dhṛtarāṣṭra—indeed, by the blind one—dharma was abandoned out of greed, and your rightful kingdom was seized away.

Word by Word

• धृतराष्ट्रेन: by Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रेन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (कर्ता/करण), एकवचन

• दुष्टेन: wicked
• दुष्टेन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘धृतराष्ट्रेन’)

• प्रथमम्: first/at first
• प्रथमम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया-एकवचन-नपुंसक (adverbial accusative: ‘at first’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

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

• अचक्षुषा: blind
• अचक्षुषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘धृतराष्ट्रेन’); अर्थः: नेत्रहीनेन (blind)

• धर्मः: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• त्यक्तः: was abandoned
• त्यक्तः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग-भावः: ‘abandoned’

• स्वयम्: by himself
• स्वयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (reflexive adverb: oneself)

• लोभात्: out of greed
• लोभात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (हेतु/अपादान), एकवचन

• युष्माकम्: your
• युष्माकम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• आहृतम्: was taken away
• आहृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि: ‘was taken away/appropriated’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages, describing the adharmic seizure of the kingdom)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Dhritarashtra
• Dharma
• Greed (Lobha)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that lobha (greed) makes one abandon dharma, creating karmic bondage (pāśa). In a Shaiva Siddhānta lens, turning from righteous order obscures the soul (paśu) from Shiva’s grace (pati-anugraha), leading to suffering and loss of rightful prosperity.

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

Linga-worship centers the devotee in dharma, self-restraint, and truth. This verse functions as a caution: when rulers and individuals abandon dharma for greed, they move away from Shiva as Saguna protector of cosmic order, and their authority becomes spiritually unsustainable.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily dharma-sādhana: recite the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a vow of truthfulness and non-greed, and apply tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of impermanence—reducing lobha and restoring righteous discernment.