Shloka 68

Kṛṣṇādi-Śivabhaktoddhāraṇa & Śiva-māhātmya-varṇana

Deliverance of Krishna and other devotees; Description of Shiva’s Greatness

Devanagari script

मांडव्यश्शंकरणैव जीवं दत्त्वा विसर्जितः । वर्षाणां दश लक्षाणि शूलाग्रा दवरोपितः

Transliteration

māṃḍavyaśśaṃkaraṇaiva jīvaṃ dattvā visarjitaḥ | varṣāṇāṃ daśa lakṣāṇi śūlāgrā davaropitaḥ

Translation

Māṇḍavya, granted life by Śaṅkara Himself, was set free. Yet for ten lakh years he remained fixed upon the tip of the trident, bearing the fruit of his bond, until the Lord’s grace prevailed.

Word by Word

• माण्डव्यः: Māṇḍavya (sage)
• माण्डव्यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माण्डव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शंकरण: by/through Śaṃkaraṇa (name/agent)
• शंकरण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (contextual), तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphatic particle)

• जीवम्: life; living being
• जीवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभाव-क्त्वान्त (gerund/क्त्वा), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• विसर्जितः: was released/sent away
• विसर्जितः: कर्ता (Karta; predicate of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-सृज् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वर्षाणाम्: of years
• वर्षाणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive of measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• दश: ten
• दश: विशेषण (Numeral adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्द; ‘लक्षाणि’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (numeral)

• लक्षाणि: hundred-thousands; lakhs
• लक्षाणि: कर्म (Karma; extent/duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन (कालपरिमाण-रूपेण)

• शूलाग्रे: on the tip of a stake/spear
• शूलाग्रे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: शूलस्य अग्रे (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• दवर: davar (unclear/rare term; possibly a kind of wood/peg)
• दवर: सम्बन्ध (compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (rare/uncertain), समासाङ्ग (compound-member)

• उपितः: was placed/impaled (reading uncertain)
• उपितः: कर्ता (Karta; predicate of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपि/उप् (धातु, uncertain) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पाठभेद-संदिग्ध (possibly ‘अवरोपितः/आरोपितः’ intended)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Mandavya

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva Siddhanta vision of Pati (Shiva) as the liberating Lord: even when the soul (paśu) is bound by pāśa (karmic consequence), Shiva’s anugraha (grace) can restore life and ultimately lead the being toward release.

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

The verse presents Shiva as compassionate Saguna Śaṅkara who intervenes in lived history—granting life and deliverance. Such narratives support devotional worship of Shiva (including Linga worship) as a direct means to seek protection, purification of karma, and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is surrender and remembrance of Śaṅkara amid suffering—practically expressed through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and sincere repentance/ethical restraint to loosen karmic bondage.