Shloka 33

Durgama’s Seizure of the Vedas and the Gods’ Refuge in Yogamāyā (दुर्गमकृतवेदनाशः—योगमायाशरणगमनम्)

Devanagari script

इत्थं हत्वा तदा दैत्यं दुर्गमासुरनाम कम् । आदाय चतुरो वेदान्ददौ देवेभ्य ईश्वरी

Transliteration

itthaṃ hatvā tadā daityaṃ durgamāsuranāma kam | ādāya caturo vedāndadau devebhya īśvarī

Translation

Thus, having slain that demon named Durgamāsura, the Goddess—Supreme Lady—recovered the four Vedas and bestowed them back upon the gods.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable form); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• दैत्यम्: the demon
• दैत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• दुर्गमासुरनाम: named the asura Durgama
• दुर्गमासुरनाम: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्गम-असुर-नाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nom./acc.) एकवचन (singular); नामपद-विशेषण (name-appositive) to दैत्यम्. समासः: दुर्गमः असुरः (कर्मधारय) + नाम (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष: तस्य नाम)

• कम्: whom (that one)
• कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular); अन्वयार्थे (enclitic/pleonastic in some recensions)

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘आ’ उपसर्ग (prefix)

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण of वेदान्

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• देवेभ्यः: to the gods
• देवेभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), चतुर्थी (dative), बहुवचन (plural)

• ईश्वरी: the Goddess (Sovereign Lady)
• ईश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Sarasvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Ishvari (Goddess/Devi)
• Durgamāsura
• Devas
• Four Vedas

FAQs

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

It presents Śakti as the divine power that protects revelation (the Vedas) and restores dharma by removing obstructive forces; devotion to Śiva-Śakti is shown as devotion to the very source and guardian of sacred knowledge.

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

In Śaiva understanding, the Linga signifies Śiva as the supreme reality, while Īśvarī is His inseparable Śakti; the restoration of the Vedas supports Saguna worship (ritual, mantra, and devotion) grounded in revealed authority.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Veda-aligned Śaiva worship: japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with purity practices such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, dedicating the merit to the protection of dharma and right knowledge.