Shloka 6

Sarasvatī-avatāra-prasaṅgaḥ

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

Devanagari script

ये प्रभावं समालोक्यास्माकं परमदुःसहम् । भीता नागालयं याता यातयातेति वादिनः

Transliteration

ye prabhāvaṃ samālokyāsmākaṃ paramaduḥsaham | bhītā nāgālayaṃ yātā yātayāteti vādinaḥ

Translation

Seeing our overpowering might—utterly unbearable to them—they grew afraid and fled to the abode of the Nāgas, crying again and again, “Drive them off! Strike them down!”

Word by Word

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• प्रभावम्: power, might
• प्रभावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्

• समालोक्य: having seen
• समालोक्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having seen/observed’

• अस्माकम्: of us, our
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• परम-दुःसहम्: utterly unbearable
• परम-दुःसहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःसह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying prabhāvam)

• भीताः: frightened
• भीताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भी ‘to fear’)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचनम्; कर्तृवाचक-विशेषणम्

• नागालयम्: the abode of serpents
• नागालयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्; गन्तव्य-स्थानम्

• याताः: went, having gone
• याताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √या ‘to go’)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle used adjectivally); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचनम्

• यातयाता: “drive away, drive away!”
• यातयाता: Vākya-karmāṇi (उक्तिविषय/quotation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातयात (प्रातिपदिक; √यत् causative? idiomatic)
• Form: इति-पूर्वकं उद्धरणपदम्; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचनम् (quoted cry)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• वादिनः: speakers, those saying
• वादिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचनम्; कर्तृवाचक (speakers)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: yātayāta iti (refrain/cry, not a mantra)

Characters & Entities

• Nagas

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how worldly forces collapse into fear when confronted with a superior divine potency; in Shaiva Siddhanta, true refuge is ultimately in Pati (Shiva), whose śakti overpowers pasha-bound aggression.

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

It supports the Purana’s theme that Saguna Shiva’s manifest power protects devotees and subdues hostile forces; Linga-worship is presented as anchoring the mind in that protective, victorious presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is fear-removal through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady devotion; if following Shiva Purana practice, combine it with Tripundra (bhasma) and Rudraksha as supports for courage and inner steadiness.