Shloka 14

Sarasvatī-avatāra-prasaṅgaḥ

Account of Sarasvatī’s Manifestation and the Humbling of the Devas

Devanagari script

तदोवाच महातेजः शक्तोऽसि यदि चालने । धृतमेतत्तृणं वायो चालयस्व निजेच्छया

Transliteration

tadovāca mahātejaḥ śakto'si yadi cālane | dhṛtametattṛṇaṃ vāyo cālayasva nijecchayā

Translation

Then the mighty, radiant one said: “O Vāyu, if you are truly able to move, I am holding this blade of grass—move it by your own will.”

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महातेजः: the great-splendored one
• महातेजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महत् तेजः (great splendor)

• शक्तः: capable
• शक्तः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यदि: if
• यदि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त-निर्देशक (conditional particle)

• चालने: in moving / in the act of moving
• चालने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; भाववाचक (action-noun)

• धृतम्: having been held/placed
• धृतम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘held/placed’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तृणम्: a blade of grass
• तृणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• वायो: O Wind
• वायो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• चालयस्व: move (it)!
• चालयस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative): ‘make (it) move’

• निजेच्छया: by your own will
• निजेच्छया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास: निजा इच्छा (one’s own will)

Speaker

A great radiant sage/tejasvī (narrative speaker within Umāsaṃhitā; addressing Vāyu)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Vayu

FAQs

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

It highlights that mere elemental power (like wind’s force) is limited; true mastery is aligned with a higher, conscious principle—pointing to Shaiva Siddhanta’s emphasis on surrender to Pati (the Lord) rather than pride in one’s own shakti.

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

The verse functions as a lesson in humility: worship of Saguna Shiva (including the Linga) trains the devotee to recognize the Lord as the ultimate regulator of all powers, beyond the ego of individual agency.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is cultivating surrender (śaraṇāgati) while repeating the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and observing one’s ego during japa, treating all strength and success as Shiva’s grace rather than personal doership.