Shloka 32

Mahiṣāsura’s Conquest of Svarga and the Devas’ Appeal to Śiva and Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

चेलुः समुद्राश्चत्वारो वसुधा च चचाल ह । जयशब्दस्ततो देवैरकारि महिषार्दितैः

Transliteration

celuḥ samudrāścatvāro vasudhā ca cacāla ha | jayaśabdastato devairakāri mahiṣārditaiḥ

Translation

Entonces los cuatro océanos se encresparon y la misma tierra tembló. Luego los dioses—atormentados por el demonio Búfalo—alzaron un gran clamor de «¡Victoria!»

Word by Word

• चेलुः: moved, shook
• चेलुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्सभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural), परस्मैपद

• समुद्राः: oceans
• समुद्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (numeral adjective)

• वसुधा: the earth
• वसुधा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चचाल: shook, moved
• चचाल: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), पदपूरण/अवधारणार्थक

• जयशब्दः: the cry of victory
• जयशब्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘जयस्य शब्दः’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, काल/क्रमवाचक (then/thereupon)

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अकारि: was raised/made
• अकारि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/अद्यतनभूत), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘was made/was done’

• महिषार्दितैः: afflicted by Mahiṣa
• महिषार्दितैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्दित (कृदन्त, √अर्द्/अर्द् ‘to afflict’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तृतीया-बहुवचन विशेषण; तत्पुरुष: ‘महिषेण अर्दिताः’ (afflicted by the buffalo-demon)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: jaya

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: samudra-kṣobha (four oceans surging) and bhū-kampana (earthquake)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Mahisha (buffalo-demon)

FAQs

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

The verse portrays cosmic disturbance—oceans surging and earth trembling—when adharma intensifies. From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, it underscores that all realms respond to imbalance, and true “victory” ultimately belongs to Pati (Shiva), the Lord who restores order and grants refuge to beings bound by suffering.

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

The gods’ victory-cry amid oppression reflects turning toward Saguna Shiva—the accessible, protective Lord invoked in crisis. In Linga-worship, the devotee similarly approaches Shiva as the stabilizing center (Pati) when the outer world “trembles,” reaffirming surrender and dependence on divine grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa and śaraṇāgati: repeat the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with steady breath when fear or instability arises, and if following Purana-based practice, accompany it with Tripundra (bhasma) and Rudraksha as reminders of Shiva’s protection and inner steadiness.