Shloka 53

Śumbha–Niśumbha-pīḍā and Devastuti to Durgā/Śivā

Names and Forms of the Devī

Devanagari script

इत्थं देव्या हतं दैत्यं श्रुत्वा शुंभः प्रतापवान् । चकार बहुलं कोपं सन्दष्टोष्ठपुटद्वयः

Transliteration

itthaṃ devyā hataṃ daityaṃ śrutvā śuṃbhaḥ pratāpavān | cakāra bahulaṃ kopaṃ sandaṣṭoṣṭhapuṭadvayaḥ

Translation

Hearing that the demon had thus been slain by the Goddess, the mighty and valiant Śumbha was seized by fierce wrath, clenching his lips tightly together.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus, in this manner
• इत्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• देव्याः: by the goddess
• देव्याः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), षष्ठी/तृतीया?—पाठानुसार तृतीया एकवचन (Instrumental sg., तृतीया-एकवचन) रूपम् ‘देव्याः/देव्या’ इत्यत्र; अर्थतः कर्तृकरणे तृतीया (by the goddess)

• हतम्: slain
• हतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: han (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc. sg.), कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘slain’

• दैत्यम्: the demon
• दैत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc. sg.)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive, क्त्वा), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• शुम्भः: Shumbha
• शुम्भः: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuṃbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom. sg.)

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, valorous
• प्रतापवान्: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratāpa-vant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom. sg.), गुणवाचक विशेषण (possessing valor)

• चकार: made, did
• चकार: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect, लिट्-लकार), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• बहुलम्: great, abundant
• बहुलम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc. sg.), क्रियाविशेषणवत् (intensively) / ‘much’ qualifying kopaṃ

• कोपम्: anger
• कोपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc. sg.)

• सन्दष्ट-ओष्ठ-पुट-द्वयः: one whose pair of lips was clenched
• सन्दष्ट-ओष्ठ-पुट-द्वयः: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sandasta (सन्दष्ट, han?—√daś ‘bite’ धातु + क्त) + oṣṭha (ओष्ठ, प्रातिपदिक) + puṭa (पुट, प्रातिपदिक) + dvaya (द्वय, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास (possessive), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom. sg.), ‘यस्य ओष्ठपुटद्वयं सन्दष्टम्’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Devi (Goddess)
• Shumbha

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how demonic pride responds to divine grace with anger and resistance; in a Shaiva lens, it reflects the soul bound by pasha (impurities like ego and wrath) reacting against the liberating power aligned with Pati (the Supreme Lord) and His Shakti.

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

Though the scene centers on the Goddess, it supports Saguna worship by showing divine intervention in history: devotees contemplate the Lord and His Shakti as active protectors, and the Linga becomes the steady focus for transforming inner anger into surrender (śaraṇāgati).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter krodha with japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and calm, ash-mark (tripuṇḍra) remembrance of Shiva’s purity, using breath awareness to soften reactive speech and emotion.