Shloka 20

Umā-caritra-prārthanā: Ṛṣayaḥ Sūtaṃ Pṛcchanti

Request for the Account of Umā

Devanagari script

दैवाच्छत्रुत्वमापन्नै रमात्यप्रमुखैर्गणैः । कोशस्थितं च यद्वित्तं तत्सर्वं चात्मसात्कृतम्

Transliteration

daivācchatrutvamāpannai ramātyapramukhairgaṇaiḥ | kośasthitaṃ ca yadvittaṃ tatsarvaṃ cātmasātkṛtam

Translation

By the force of destiny, those groups—led by the king’s ministers—had turned hostile; and whatever wealth lay stored in the treasury, all of that too was seized and appropriated for themselves.

Word by Word

• दैवात्: by fate, by chance
• दैवात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (by fate)

• शत्रुत्वम्: enmity
• शत्रुत्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रुत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आपन्नैः: by those who had fallen into (enmity)
• आपन्नैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; (having fallen into/attained)

• रामात्यप्रमुखैः: with Rāmātya as the chief
• रामात्यप्रमुखैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रामात्य + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः: (रामात्याः प्रमुखाः येषु) ‘with Rāmātya as chief’

• गणैः: by groups, by troops
• गणैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• कोशस्थितम्: kept in the treasury
• कोशस्थितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोश + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (कोशे स्थितम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• वित्तम्: wealth, money
• वित्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Anuvada (अनुवाद/correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश (that)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• आत्मसात्: into (their) possession
• आत्मसात्: Gati (गति/Directional adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आत्मसात् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: into one’s possession)

• कृतम्: was taken/made
• कृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (was made/done)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

FAQs

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

It highlights how worldly power and wealth are unstable and easily overturned by daiva (the momentum of karma), encouraging vairāgya (detachment) and reliance on Shiva as the true refuge beyond changing fortunes.

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

By showing the fragility of material security, the text implicitly redirects devotion toward Saguna Shiva (worshipped as the Linga) as the steady Lord (Pati) who alone can loosen the bonds (pāśa) that keep the soul (paśu) trapped in fear and rivalry.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice daily japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a mindset of non-possessiveness, and offer a simple Linga-pūjā (water, bilva) as a remedy to anxiety over loss and conflict.