Shloka 31

Svagati-varṇana

Description of the Supreme State / One’s True Attainment

Devanagari script

शक्तिं खङ्गं च पाशं च महादीप्तं समांकुशम् । गदां च महतीं दिव्यामन्यान्यस्त्राणि दृष्टवान्

Transliteration

śaktiṃ khaṅgaṃ ca pāśaṃ ca mahādīptaṃ samāṃkuśam | gadāṃ ca mahatīṃ divyāmanyānyastrāṇi dṛṣṭavān

Translation

He beheld the spear (śakti), the sword, the noose (pāśa), the blazing goad (aṅkuśa), and a great divine mace, and also many other celestial weapons.

Word by Word

• śaktim: spear/śakti weapon
• śaktim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्

• khaṅgam: sword
• khaṅgam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• pāśam: noose
• pāśam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयबोधक

• mahā-dīptam: greatly blazing
• mahā-dīptam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dīpta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• sa-ma-āṃkuśam: with a goad; well-goaded/provided with a goad
• sa-ma-āṃkuśam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/प्रातिपदिक) + ma (सम्-उपसर्ग-सम्बन्ध/प्रातिपदिक) + aṃkuśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; पाठरूप ‘samāṃkuśam’ = सम् + आङ्कुशम् (well-provided with a goad / with a goad)

• gadām: mace
• gadām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयबोधक

• mahatīm: great
• mahatīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying gadām)

• divyām: divine
• divyām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• anyāni: other
• anyāni: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying astrāṇi)

• astrāṇi: weapons
• astrāṇi: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्

• dṛṣṭavān: (he) saw / having seen
• dṛṣṭavān: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle); पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (he having seen)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the Lord’s sovereign power to protect and to discipline: weapons like the pāśa (bond) and aṅkuśa (goad) symbolically point to bondage and its control, implying that liberation comes when Pati (Shiva) subdues the pasha that binds the soul.

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

Although Linga worship points to Shiva’s transcendent reality, this verse emphasizes Saguna Shiva—His manifest, protective lordship—showing that devotees approach Him as the compassionate ruler who removes obstacles and safeguards dharma while ultimately leading the soul toward the Linga’s formless truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is protective remembrance: chant the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while visualizing Shiva as the Lord who cuts bonds (pāśa) and grants fearlessness; offer bilva leaves with a prayer for release from inner bondage (anger, attachment, ignorance).