Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

मादृशानमरान्दृष्ट्वा कः कुर्यादीदृशीन्दयाम् । वर्जयित्वा सुरेशानीं शताक्षी मातरं विना

Transliteration

mādṛśānamarāndṛṣṭvā kaḥ kuryādīdṛśīndayām | varjayitvā sureśānīṃ śatākṣī mātaraṃ vinā

Translation

Seeing gods like us in such distress, who could show compassion of this kind? None could have done so, save Sureśānī—Śatākṣī, the Mother.

Word by Word

• mādṛśān: like us
• mādṛśān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mādṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; qualifies amarān

• amarān: immortals/gods
• amarān: Karma (कर्म; object of dṛṣṭvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु); dṛṣṭvā (कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √dṛś; ‘having seen’

• kaḥ: who?
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; subject of kuryāt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; interrogative pronoun

• kuryāt: would do/make
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु); kuryāt (तिङन्त)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada; 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• īdṛśīm: such
• īdṛśīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies dayām

• dayām: compassion
• dayām: Karma (कर्म; object of kuryāt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• varjayitvā: excepting/leaving aside
• varjayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; exception)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛj/√varj (धातु); varjayitvā (कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from causative stem varjaya- ‘to avoid’; ‘having excluded/excepting’

• sureśānīm: Sureśānī (queen of gods)
• sureśānīm: Karma (कर्म; object of varjayitvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sureśānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• śatākṣī: Śatākṣī (hundred-eyed one)
• śatākṣī: Karta (कर्ता; implied subject in ellipsis: ‘(she) Śatākṣī’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatākṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; proper epithet (lit. ‘hundred-eyed’)

• mātaram: mother
• mātaram: Karma (कर्म; object in ‘vinā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• vinā: without
• vinā: Apādāna/Viśeṣaṇa (अपादानभाव/वियोग; separation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: Preposition-like indeclinable (उपपद-अव्यय) governing Accusative; ‘without’

Speaker

The Devas (collectively), praising Indrāṇī (Śacī) within Sūta’s narration

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: मादृशानमरान्दृष्ट्वा कः कुर्यादीदृशीन्दयाम् । वर्जयित्वा सुरेशानीं शताक्षी मातरं विना

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Indrani (Sureshani/Shatakshi)
• Devas

FAQs

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

It highlights dayā (compassion) as a divine power: even celestial beings become helpless without grace, and true refuge appears through the Mother’s protective mercy—echoing Shaiva Siddhanta’s emphasis on anugraha (saving grace) as essential for upliftment.

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

By stressing compassion and refuge, it supports Saguna worship—approaching Shiva (and the divine family) as accessible protectors. In Linga-worship, the devotee seeks Shiva’s anugraha, the same merciful intervention praised here.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate dayā alongside devotion: chant the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a prayer for grace, and on Mahāśivarātri combine japa with simple acts of compassion (dāna/service), aligning conduct with Shiva’s saving mercy.