Shloka 23

Śumbha–Niśumbha’s Mobilization After Devī’s Victories

Battle Muster and Omens

Devanagari script

ततो निशुंभो हृदये व्यचिन्तयत्करालकालोयमुपागतोऽधुना । भवेद्दरिद्रोऽपि महाधनो महाधनो दरिद्रो विपरीतकालतः

Transliteration

tato niśuṃbho hṛdaye vyacintayatkarālakāloyamupāgato'dhunā | bhaveddaridro'pi mahādhano mahādhano daridro viparītakālataḥ

Translation

Then Niśumbha reflected in his heart: “Now this dreadful turn of Time has arrived. By the reversal of destiny, even a poor man may become exceedingly wealthy, and an exceedingly wealthy man may fall into poverty.”

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Desha-Kala (देश-काल/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of sequence)

• निशुम्भः: Niśumbha
• निशुम्भः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हृदये: in (his) heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• व्यचिन्तयत्: thought / reflected
• व्यचिन्तयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• करालकालः: dreadful time
• करालकालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कराल-काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (करालः कालः = dreadful time)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/निर्देशक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• उपागतः: has arrived
• उपागतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-√गम् (कृदन्त; धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषणम् (qualifies कालः)

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Desha-Kala (देश-काल/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• भवेत्: may become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• दरिद्रः: a poor man
• दरिद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• महाधनः: very wealthy (man)
• महाधनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महद् धनं यस्य/महाधनः = very wealthy)

• महाधनः: very wealthy (man)
• महाधनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• दरिद्रः: poor (man)
• दरिद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विपरीतकालतः: due to adverse time
• विपरीतकालतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विपरीत-काल (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), अपादानार्थक (ablatival adverb) ‘from/owing to’; समासः कर्मधारयः/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (विपरीतः कालः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the episode, with Niśumbha’s inner speech quoted)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as the Lord of Time: the jyotirliṅga signifies Śiva’s sovereignty over Kāla; devotees approach him when fate turns adverse, seeking protection from untimely downfall and the right ordering of destiny.

Significance: Appeasement of Kāla (time/death), removal of adversity, steadiness amid reversals; traditional association with fearlessness and protection.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Kāla-viparyaya (reversal of fortune) as a moral-cosmic turning point within the battle narrative

Characters & Entities

• Niśumbha
• Kāla

FAQs

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

It highlights the instability of worldly conditions under Kāla (Time). From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, it encourages vairāgya (dispassion) and reliance on Pati (Shiva) rather than on transient wealth, which is subject to karmic change.

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

By showing how fortune reverses, the verse implicitly directs the mind toward the stable refuge—Saguna Shiva worship through the Linga—because devotion (bhakti) and Shiva’s grace are not diminished by external gains or losses.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with contemplation on impermanence, supported by Shaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to remain steady amid changing circumstances.