Shloka 52

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

Devanagari script

ततोऽस्य च करं देवी चकर्त स्वमहासिना । अधारि च पुना रूपं स्वकीयं तेन रक्षसा

Transliteration

tato'sya ca karaṃ devī cakarta svamahāsinā | adhāri ca punā rūpaṃ svakīyaṃ tena rakṣasā

Translation

Then the Goddess severed his hand with her mighty sword; and that rākṣasa thereupon resumed his own original form again.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/कालाधिकरण (काल-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/अनन्तरार्थक (temporal adverb: ‘then/thereafter’)

• अस्य: of him/its
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• करम्: hand
• करम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• चकर्त: made, cut off/formed
• चकर्त: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/लुङ्), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• स्व-महा-असिना: with her own great sword
• स्व-महा-असिना: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + असि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणवाचक (instrumental)

• अधारि: was borne/assumed
• अधारि: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/लुङ्), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense: ‘was held/borne’)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक (adverb: again)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• स्वकीयम्: her own
• स्वकीयम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वकीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘रूपम्’)

• तेन: by that, by him
• तेन: करण/सह (Instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• रक्षसा: by the demon
• रक्षसा: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक तृतीया (agent in passive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Kālabhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śakti’s protective power: the Goddess decisively cuts down adharmic force, showing that divine grace removes harmful tendencies and restores right order (dharma) for the devotee’s spiritual progress.

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

In Śaiva understanding, Saguna Shiva is never without Śakti; the Goddess’ action here reflects the living presence of divine power that devotees approach through Saguna worship (including Liṅga-pūjā) for protection, purification, and steadiness in dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Take refuge in Shiva-Śakti through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and simple protective worship (lamp, water, bilva), cultivating inner vigilance to 'cut off' harmful impulses like anger and pride.