Shloka 12

Śumbha–Niśumbha’s Mobilization After Devī’s Victories

Battle Muster and Omens

Devanagari script

हयाश्च ह्रेषन्त उदग्रभूमिजा विशालकण्ठाभरणा गतेर्विदः । पदानि दन्तावलमूर्ध्नि बिभ्रतः सुडिड्यिरे व्योमपथा यथाऽवयः

Transliteration

hayāśca hreṣanta udagrabhūmijā viśālakaṇṭhābharaṇā gatervidaḥ | padāni dantāvalamūrdhni bibhrataḥ suḍiḍyire vyomapathā yathā'vayaḥ

Translation

The horses neighed aloud—spirited, high-stepping—adorned with broad neck-ornaments and skilled in swift motion. Bearing their hoof-marks upon the heads of the elephant-host, they darted along the sky-path like birds.

Word by Word

• हयाः: horses
• हयाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ह्रेषन्त: neighed
• ह्रेषन्त: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ह्रेष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• उदग्रभूमिजाः: born of lofty/raised ground
• उदग्रभूमिजाः: विशेषण (Qualifier of हयाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भूमिज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विशालकण्ठाभरणाः: having ornaments on broad necks
• विशालकण्ठाभरणाः: विशेषण (Qualifier of हयाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• गतेः: of speed/motion
• गतेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विदः: knowers
• विदः: विशेषण (Qualifier of हयाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विद्’ = जानन्/ज्ञाता)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पदानि: steps/footprints
• पदानि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दन्तावलमूर्ध्नि: on the head of the elephant
• दन्तावलमूर्ध्नि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्तावल (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• बिभ्रतः: of (those) bearing/carrying
• बिभ्रतः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive; ‘of those bearing’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपद; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• सुडिड्यिरे: whirred/shot forth
• सुडिड्यिरे: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: डिड्यि/डिड्य् (धातु; onomatopoetic ‘to whirr/flash’)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद

• व्योमपथाः: sky-paths (tracks in the sky)
• व्योमपथाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योम (प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: उपमान-निर्देश (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative indeclinable)

• अवयः: birds
• अवयः: उपमान (Upamāna/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

FAQs

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

Though descriptive, the verse highlights the overwhelming momentum of worldly conflict and power; in Shaiva Siddhanta this serves as a contrast to the inner refuge in Pati (Shiva), who alone grants steadiness and liberation beyond the turbulence of battle-like samsara.

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

The verse belongs to narrative imagery (saguṇa, form-filled depiction). Such passages encourage devotees to see all dynamism and victory as ultimately dependent on Shiva’s lordship (Pati), while Linga-worship centers the mind on the stable, transcendent reality (nirguṇa) expressed through a sacred form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate steadiness amid agitation by japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and dhyāna on the Shiva-Linga, supported by simple Shaiva observances like vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids to recollection.