Shloka 7

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

Kirātākhyam-avatāra; Pāṇḍava-prasaṅga

Devanagari script

अथ ते पाण्डवाः सर्वे अन्नाभावान्मुनीश्वर । दुःखिताश्च तदा प्राणांस्त्यक्तुं चित्ते समादधुः

Transliteration

atha te pāṇḍavāḥ sarve annābhāvānmunīśvara | duḥkhitāśca tadā prāṇāṃstyaktuṃ citte samādadhuḥ

Translation

Then all those Pāṇḍavas, O lord among sages, distressed by the lack of food, resolved in their hearts at that time to give up their very lives.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• ते: those
• ते: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषणरूपेण (those)

• पाण्डवाः: the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अन्नाभावात्: due to lack of food
• अन्नाभावात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न + अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समास: अन्न-अभाव (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष: ‘absence of food’); अपादानार्थ (from/because of)

• मुनीश्वर: O lord of sages
• मुनीश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समास: मुनि-ईश्वर (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष: ‘lord of sages’)

• दुःखिताः: distressed
• दुःखिताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित (कृदन्त; √खिद् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) used adjectivally

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• प्राणान्: their lives, vital breaths
• प्राणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• त्यक्तुम्: to give up
• त्यक्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive); धातु: त्यज्; अर्थ: ‘to abandon’

• चित्ते: in (their) mind
• चित्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the mind)

• समादधुः: they resolved, they set (their minds)
• समादधुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/परस्मैपद (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; धातु: √धा with उपसर्ग सम्-आ; अर्थ: ‘they resolved/placed’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Pandavas

FAQs

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

It shows the extreme limit of human helplessness—when worldly supports like food fail, the soul is pushed toward śaraṇāgati (surrender). In Shaiva Siddhanta, such suffering can become the turning-point that directs the bound soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati) rather than toward despair.

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

The verse sets the narrative ground for seeking refuge in Saguna Shiva—approaching the Lord through accessible forms like the Śiva-liṅga, mantra, and prayer when the mind is overwhelmed. In Purāṇic storytelling, crisis often precedes divine grace (anugraha).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied remedy is to replace the resolve for self-destruction with japa and devotion—especially Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with simple Śiva-upāsanā such as offering water to the liṅga and wearing/holding rudrākṣa for steadiness of mind.