Shloka 48

Satyavrata, Vasiṣṭha, and the Crisis of Dharma: Protection, Anger, and Vow-Discipline

Devanagari script

स धर्मविजयी राजा विजित्वेमां वसुंधराम् । अश्वं संस्कारयामास वाजिमेधाय पार्थिवः

Transliteration

sa dharmavijayī rājā vijitvemāṃ vasuṃdharām | aśvaṃ saṃskārayāmāsa vājimedhāya pārthivaḥ

Translation

That earthly king, victorious through dharma, having conquered this whole earth, duly prepared a horse for the Vājimedha (Aśvamedha) sacrifice.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• धर्मविजयी: righteous-victorious
• धर्मविजयी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म-विजयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular; तत्पुरुष: धर्म + विजयिन् = 'victorious through dharma / conqueror by righteousness'

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• विजित्वा: having conquered
• विजित्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); 'having conquered'

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular; agrees with वसुंधराम्

• वसुंधराम्: the earth
• वसुंधराम्: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुंधरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• अश्वम्: a horse
• अश्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• संस्कारयामास: performed the consecration/rite for
• संस्कारयामास: Karta (कर्ता/Subject action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative stem (णिच्) of सम्+कृ: संस्कारयति; meaning 'he caused to be consecrated/performed rites'

• वाजिमेधाय: for the Aśvamedha sacrifice
• वाजिमेधाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजि-मेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; Dative singular; तत्पुरुष: वाजिन् (horse) + मेध (sacrifice) = 'Aśvamedha'

• पार्थिवः: the king (earthly ruler)
• पार्थिवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular; apposition to राजा

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

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

It presents a king whose conquest is framed as “victory by dharma,” showing that power is meant to be regulated by righteous order; yet, in Shaiva teaching, even great Vedic rites remain within karma and become spiritually complete when oriented toward Shiva as the supreme Pati.

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

The verse depicts a royal yajna (Aśvamedha), a public, saguna-oriented sacred act; in the Shiva Purana’s Shaiva lens, such merit-bearing rites are ideally dedicated to Shiva—often through linga-pūjā and Shiva-sankalpa—so ritual success supports devotion rather than mere worldly fame.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate practice is disciplined, dharma-based ritual preparation (saṃskāra) and sankalpa; a Shaiva takeaway is to accompany any rite with Shiva-smaraṇa—japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and offering the fruits of action to Shiva.