Shloka 38

Devanagari script

अर्जुनश्च तदा सेनां किरातस्य च पाण्डवः । दृष्ट्वा गृहीत्वा सशरन्धनुः सन्मुख आययौ

Transliteration

arjunaśca tadā senāṃ kirātasya ca pāṇḍavaḥ | dṛṣṭvā gṛhītvā saśarandhanuḥ sanmukha āyayau

Translation

Then the Pāṇḍava Arjuna, seeing the Kirāta’s army, took up his bow together with arrows and advanced straight toward them, facing them head-on.

Word by Word

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

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

• सेनाम्: the army
• सेनाम्: Karma (कर्म) (दृष्ट्वा इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किरातस्य: of the Kirāta
• किरातस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

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

• पाण्डवः: the Pāṇḍava
• पाण्डवः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्जुनस्य विशेषण/समानाधिकरण

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण) (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): 'having seen'

• गृहीत्वा: having taken up
• गृहीत्वा: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण) (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) → गृहीत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): 'having taken/held'

• सशरधनुः: with arrows and bow
• सशरधनुः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (अर्जुनः इत्यस्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + शर (प्रातिपदिक) + धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/बहुपद-समास: 'शरैः सह धनुः यस्य' (सह-समासार्थे स-)

• सन्मुखम्: face to face / towards the front
• सन्मुखम्: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): 'in front/face to face'

• आययौ: came/approached
• आययौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Kirata (Shiva in hunter form)

FAQs

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

It shows the devotee’s courage and initiative in dharma, while hinting that Shiva, in saguna form, may test a seeker’s pride before granting grace and siddhi.

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

The Kirāta is Shiva’s accessible, embodied (saguna) manifestation—teaching that the same Lord worshiped as Linga also appears in lived experience to guide and transform the devotee.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt steady one-pointedness and surrender: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with humility, treating trials as Shiva’s anugraha (grace) in disguise.