Shloka 84

Devanagari script

अधर्ममहिषारूढं कालचक्रं तरंति ते । सत्यादिधर्मयुक्ता ये शिवपूजापराश्च ये

Transliteration

adharmamahiṣārūḍhaṃ kālacakraṃ taraṃti te | satyādidharmayuktā ye śivapūjāparāśca ye

Translation

They alone cross beyond the wheel of Time, mounted upon the buffalo of unrighteousness—those endowed with virtues beginning with truthfulness, and wholly devoted to the worship of Lord Śiva.

Word by Word

• अधर्म-महिष-आरूढम्: mounted on the buffalo of adharma
• अधर्म-महिष-आरूढम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + महिष (प्रातिपदिक) + आरूढ (कृदन्त; √रुह्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘आरूढ’ = mounted; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अधर्मस्य महिषः → अधर्ममहिषः; तस्मिन् आरूढम्)

• काल-चक्रम्: the wheel of time
• काल-चक्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कालस्य चक्रम्)

• तरन्ति: cross (overcome)
• तरन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यतः), प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सत्य-आदि-धर्म-युक्ताः: endowed with virtues like truth
• सत्य-आदि-धर्म-युक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त; √युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता-विशेषण), बहुवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘युक्त’; समासः तत्पुरुषः (सत्यादयः धर्माः तैः युक्ताः)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• शिव-पूजा-पराः: devoted to Śiva’s worship
• शिव-पूजा-पराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (शिवपूजायां पराः = devoted to Śiva-worship)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• ये: who (indeed)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), पुनरुक्त्या विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Promises transcendence of kālacakra (saṃsāra-time) through śiva-pūjā joined with satyādi-dharma—pilgrimage and worship become a vehicle for liberation, not mere merit.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Kālacakra symbolizes saṃsāric recurrence; ‘adharma-mahiṣa’ evokes the heavy inertia of tamas that drives time-bound suffering.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kala (Time)
• Dharma
• Adharma

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that Kāla (the binding force of worldly change) becomes surmountable when one lives by dharma—starting with satya—and directs one’s life toward Śiva-pūjā; in Shaiva Siddhanta terms, devotion to Pati (Śiva) loosens pasha (bondage) and enables transcendence of saṃsāra.

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

Śiva-pūjā here is primarily practiced through saguna upāsanā—especially Liṅga worship—where disciplined virtue (satya, purity, self-restraint) supports steady bhakti; through this concrete worship, the devotee is led toward Śiva’s grace, which ultimately points beyond form to the highest reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt truthfulness and allied vows, and perform regular Śiva-pūjā—such as Liṅga abhiṣeka with mantra-japa (notably the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”); keeping bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa can be taken as supportive disciplines aligned with Śaiva practice.