Shloka 13

Mahiṣāsura’s Conquest of Svarga and the Devas’ Appeal to Śiva and Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

सर्वदेवशरीरोत्थं तेजस्तदतिभीषणम् । संघीभूयाभवन्नारी साक्षान्महिषमर्दिनी

Transliteration

sarvadevaśarīrotthaṃ tejastadatibhīṣaṇam | saṃghībhūyābhavannārī sākṣānmahiṣamardinī

Translation

That exceedingly terrifying splendor which arose from the bodies of all the gods gathered together into one mass and became a woman—the very Mahīṣamardinī in manifest form.

Word by Word

• सर्वदेवशरीरोत्थम्: arisen from the bodies of all gods
• सर्वदेवशरीरोत्थम्: Karma/Karta-viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + देव + शरीर + उत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तेजः इति विशेषण

• तेजः: splendour/energy
• तेजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तेजः इति विशेषण (demonstrative)

• अतिभीषणम्: most terrifying
• अतिभीषणम्: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/उपपद-समासभाव (अति-भीषण = अत्यन्तं भीषणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तेजः इति विशेषण

• संघीभूय: having united/combined
• संघीभूय: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संघीभू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having become united)

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; अभवत् इति कर्ता

• साक्षात्: directly/in person
• साक्षात्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• महिषमर्दिनी: slayer of the buffalo(-demon)
• महिषमर्दिनी: Karta-sāmānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष + मर्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (महिषस्य मर्दिनी); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; नारी इति समानाधिकरण

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana account to the sages, within the Uma-samhita discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Mahishamardini (Durga)

FAQs

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

It teaches that when cosmic order is threatened, divine grace manifests tangibly: the many limited powers of the devas unite into a single, supreme protective Shakti—symbolizing concentrated spiritual power that destroys adharma and restores dharma.

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

Mahīṣamardinī here represents Saguna divine power (Shakti) acting in the world; in Shaiva understanding, Shiva as Pati is inseparable from Shakti, and Linga-worship honors that supreme reality which can manifest protection and victory over bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to worship Shiva with Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") while contemplating the unification of scattered energies into one-pointed devotion; protective worship may include Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as Shaiva disciplines for steadiness and inner fearlessness.