Shloka 25

Śumbha–Niśumbha’s Mobilization After Devī’s Victories

Battle Muster and Omens

Devanagari script

जयोऽजयो वा परमेश्वरेच्छया भवत्यनायासत एव देहिनाम् । न कालमुल्लंघ्य शशाक जीवितुं महेश्वरः पद्मजनी रमापतिः

Transliteration

jayo'jayo vā parameśvarecchayā bhavatyanāyāsata eva dehinām | na kālamullaṃghya śaśāka jīvituṃ maheśvaraḥ padmajanī ramāpatiḥ

Translation

Victory or defeat comes to embodied beings effortlessly, solely by the will of the Supreme Lord. None could overstep Time and continue living—not even Maheśvara, nor the Lotus-born Brahmā, nor Viṣṇu, the consort of Ramā (Lakṣmī).

Word by Word

• जयः: victory
• जयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—paired)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अजयः: defeat
• अजयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—paired)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle: or)

• परमेश्वर-इच्छया: by the will of the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वर-इच्छया: Karana (करण/Instrument—by)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (परमेश्वरस्य इच्छा = Lord’s will)

• भवति: happens/comes about
• भवति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अनायासतः: effortlessly
• अनायासतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनायास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = ‘without effort/from ease’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle: indeed/only)

• देहिनाम्: of embodied beings
• देहिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/for/of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• कालम्: time/death
• कालम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of उल्लंघ्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उल्लङ्घ्य: having overstepped
• उल्लङ्घ्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + लङ्घ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव-कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having overstepped’

• शशाक: was able
• शशाक: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जीवितुम्: to live
• जीवितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose complement of शशाक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); ‘to live’

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संज्ञा (Maheśvara)

• पद्मजनी: Padmajanī (Lakṣmī)
• पद्मजनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—appositional list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मजनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संज्ञा (Padmajanī = Lakṣmī)

• रमा-पतिः: Ramā’s lord (Viṣṇu)
• रमा-पतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—appositional list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रमा (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रमायाः पतिः = husband of Ramā)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages, Uma-saṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific sthala episode; the verse asserts īśvara-icchā (Lord’s will) and kāla-niyati over all embodied beings, including the Trimūrti.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kāla-niyati (Time/Death as cosmic law)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Lakshmi
• Kala (Time)

FAQs

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

It teaches that outcomes like victory and defeat are ultimately governed by Parameśvara’s will, and that embodied beings are bound by Kāla (Time) until released by divine grace—aligning with Shaiva Siddhanta’s view of Pati (Lord) as the supreme regulator and liberator.

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

By highlighting the supremacy of Parameśvara over even Brahmā and Viṣṇu and over Kāla, the verse supports Saguna Shiva worship (including Linga-upāsanā) as surrender to the highest Lord—seeking protection, right understanding, and liberation beyond worldly dualities.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is śaraṇāgati (surrender) expressed through steady japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and mindful acceptance of results, supported by simple Shaiva disciplines like vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of Kāla and Shiva’s sovereignty.