Shloka 30

Śumbha–Niśumbha’s Mobilization After Devī’s Victories

Battle Muster and Omens

Devanagari script

अवोचदेनां स महेशि किं भवेदेभिर्हतैर्वेतनजीविभिर्भटैः । तवास्ति कांक्षा यदि योद्धुमावयोस्तदा रणः स्याद्धृतयुद्धसत्पटैः

Transliteration

avocadenāṃ sa maheśi kiṃ bhavedebhirhatairvetanajīvibhirbhaṭaiḥ | tavāsti kāṃkṣā yadi yoddhumāvayostadā raṇaḥ syāddhṛtayuddhasatpaṭaiḥ

Translation

He said to her: “O Maheśī, what is to be gained by slaying these hired soldiers who live for wages? If you truly wish to fight with us, then let there be battle between us—between steadfast warriors who have taken up the fight in earnest.”

Word by Word

• अवोचत्: said
• अवोचत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/लुङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एनाम्: to her / this woman
• एनाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महेशि: O Maheshī
• महेशि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• भवेत्: would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एभिः: by/with these
• एभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• हतैः: slain
• हतैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भटैः)

• वेतन-जीविभिः: living on wages (mercenary)
• वेतन-जीविभिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेतन (प्रातिपदिक) + जीविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेतनेन जीविनः) विशेषणम् (भटैः)

• भटैः: by soldiers
• भटैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• काङ्क्षा: desire
• काङ्क्षा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काङ्क्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional: if)

• योद्धुम्: to fight
• योद्धुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु) → योद्धुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: कृदन्त (तुमुन्/infinitive), ‘to fight’

• आवयोः: of us two / between us two
• आवयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/सप्तमी, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम (of us two / between us two)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• रणः: battle
• रणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धृत-युद्ध-सत्-पटैः: by warriors adept in steadfast fighting
• धृत-युद्ध-सत्-पटैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत (धृ धातु, क्त) + युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पटु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम् (भटैः) — ‘by soldiers skilled in sustained warfare’

Speaker

An opposing warrior/leader addressing the Goddess (Maheśī/Umā) in the narrative of Umāsaṃhitā

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse contrasts wage-driven, ego-bound action with resolute, principled engagement—hinting that true strength is rooted in dharma and inner steadiness, not in mere numbers or hired force; in Shaiva thought, such steadiness ultimately belongs to those aligned with Pati (Śiva) and truth.

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

Though spoken in a battle context, it reflects a Saguna framework where the Goddess (Umā/Maheśī) embodies divine power (Śakti) acting in the world; devotion to the Liṅga and Umā-Maheśvara trains the devotee to act from dharma rather than from desire, fear, or gain.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is cultivating steadiness (dhairya) and right intention: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) remembrance helps shift one from wage-like, transactional motives to sincere, dharma-grounded resolve.