Shloka 28

तपः–मन्त्रजप–ध्यानविधिः

Protocol of Tapas, Mantra-Japa, and Śiva-Dhyāna

Devanagari script

बाणानान्तूणकं पृष्ठे धृत्वा वै स जगाम ह । गणश्चैव तथा जातो भिल्लराजोऽभवच्छिवः

Transliteration

bāṇānāntūṇakaṃ pṛṣṭhe dhṛtvā vai sa jagāma ha | gaṇaścaiva tathā jāto bhillarājo'bhavacchivaḥ

Translation

Placing the quiver of arrows upon his back, he departed. In that very manner a gaṇa was born, and Śiva manifested as the king of the Bhillas.

Word by Word

• bāṇānām: of arrows
• bāṇānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Genitive (6th/षष्ठी); Plural (बहुवचन)

• tūṇakam: quiver
• tūṇakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tūṇaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग); Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया); Singular (एकवचन)

• pṛṣṭhe: on the back
• pṛṣṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग); Locative (7th/सप्तमी); Singular (एकवचन)

• dhṛtvā: having carried/placed
• dhṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त); from √धृ (धारणे)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक अव्यय)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Nominative (1st/प्रथमा); Singular (एकवचन)

• jagāma: went
• jagāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Verb; Dhātu: √गम्; Lakāra: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect); Puruṣa: 3rd (प्रथमपुरुष); Vacana: Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• ha: (indeed/it is said)
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Narrative particle (स्मरण/इतिहाससूचक अव्यय)

• gaṇaḥ: a troop/attendant (gaṇa)
• gaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Nominative (1st/प्रथमा); Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारणार्थक अव्यय)

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle (तुल्यताबोधक अव्यय)

• jātaḥ: was born/became
• jātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त) used predicatively; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Nominative (1st/प्रथमा); Singular (एकवचन)

• bhilla-rājaḥ: king of the Bhillas
• bhilla-rājaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhilla + rāja (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Nominative (1st/प्रथमा); Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘bhillānāṃ rājā’ (king of the Bhillas)

• abhavat: became
• abhavat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Verb; Dhātu: √भू; Lakāra: Laṅ (लङ्, imperfect/past); Puruṣa: 3rd (प्रथमपुरुष); Vacana: Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Nominative (1st/प्रथमा); Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Pashupatinatha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Gana
• Bhillas

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s freedom to assume saguna forms for protecting dharma and guiding beings; even a tribal kingship becomes a vehicle for grace, showing that liberation is accessible beyond social identity through devotion to Pati (Śiva).

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna Śiva—His manifest, story-bound presence—while Shaiva Siddhanta holds that the same Supreme Pati is worshipped as the Linga (icon of transcendent reality) and also encountered through divine incarnatory acts that awaken bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva as the compassionate Lord who takes accessible forms for devotees, and practice japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with humility—seeing all stations of life as fit for Śiva-bhakti.