Shloka 14

Devanagari script

यदायदाभवद्दुःख देवानां ब्रह्मणान्तथा । तदातदावतीर्याशु कुरुषे सुखिनो जनान्

Transliteration

yadāyadābhavadduḥkha devānāṃ brahmaṇāntathā | tadātadāvatīryāśu kuruṣe sukhino janān

Translation

Whenever suffering arose for the gods and for the Brahmās as well, then—at those very times—you swiftly descended into manifestation and made all beings happy and at ease.

Word by Word

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (relative temporal adverb: ‘when’)

• yadā: whenever
• yadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्त-कालवाचक-अव्यय (repetition for emphasis: ‘whenever’)

• abhavat: arose / happened
• abhavat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• duḥkham: suffering
• duḥkham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahmā
• brahmaṇaḥ: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• tathā: also
• tathā: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चयद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘also/likewise’)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (correlative temporal adverb: ‘then’)

• tadā: at that very time
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्त-कालवाचक-अव्यय (emphatic repetition)

• avatīrya: having descended
• avatīrya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava√tṝ (अवतॄ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having descended’

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: शीघ्रार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘quickly’)

• kuruṣe: you make
• kuruṣe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• sukhinaḥ: happy
• sukhinaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• janān: people
• janān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse states a general purāṇic pattern: when devas/creator-lords are distressed, Śiva manifests (avatāra/āvirbhāva) to restore well-being.

Significance: Frames Śiva as the universal refuge (śaraṇya) whose descent is itself salvific—encouraging śaraṇāgati and remembrance during collective संकट.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Recurring cosmic crises (deva-duḥkha) prompting divine manifestation; a general avatāra/āvirbhāva motif rather than a named pralaya.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It portrays Shiva as Pati (the supreme Lord) whose compassionate grace responds to cosmic disorder: when beings are bound by distress, he manifests swiftly to restore sukha and dharma, guiding souls from pasha (bondage) toward peace.

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

The verse supports Saguna Shiva worship: the formless Lord becomes accessible through manifestation for protection and upliftment. In practice, devotees approach this saving presence through the Shiva-linga, the stable, worship-worthy form through which Shiva grants relief and auspiciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is to remember Shiva in times of duḥkha through japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady linga-pūjā, seeking his āśu-anugraha (swift grace) for inner calm and right action.