Shloka 10

Devanagari script

पदातयो निर्व वजुर्हि कोटिशः प्रभूतमाना विजयाभिलाषिणः । रथाश्वगा वारणगा अथापरेऽसुरा निरीयुः कति कोटिशो मुदा

Transliteration

padātayo nirva vajurhi koṭiśaḥ prabhūtamānā vijayābhilāṣiṇaḥ | rathāśvagā vāraṇagā athāpare'surā nirīyuḥ kati koṭiśo mudā

Translation

En incontables crores, los soldados de a pie se precipitaron, henchidos de orgullo y anhelo de victoria. Otros Asuras también marcharon gozosos en multitudes: unos montados en carros y caballos, y otros sobre poderosos elefantes.

Word by Word

• पदातयः: foot-soldiers
• पदातयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• निर्व: forth/out
• निर्व: Upasarga (उपसर्ग-कार्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय; गत्यर्थे/निर्गमनार्थे (out/forth)

• वजुः: went
• वजुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• कोटिशः: in crores
• कोटिशः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावार्थे प्रयोगः; प्रकारवाचक (distributive adverb): 'by crores'

• प्रभूतमाना: of great pride
• प्रभूतमाना: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभूत (प्रातिपदिक) + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः: प्रभूतं मानं येषाम्

• विजयाभिलाषिणः: desiring victory
• विजयाभिलाषिणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजय (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिलाषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (द्वितीया/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध): विजयम् अभिलाषन्ति ये

• रथाश्वगाः: chariot- and horse-riders
• रथाश्वगाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: रथैः/अश्वैः गच्छन्ति ये (chariot- and horse-riders)

• वारणगाः: elephant-riders
• वारणगाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारण (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: वारणैः (हस्तिभिः) गच्छन्ति ये

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (then/and then)

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; असुराः इति विशेषणम्

• असुराः: demons
• असुराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• निरीयुः: went forth
• निरीयुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + इ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; उपसर्गः निर्

• कति: how many
• कति: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कति (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रश्नवाचक; संख्या-प्रश्न (how many)

• कोटिशः: in crores
• कोटिशः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (by crores)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; भाववाचक (instrumental of manner)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Asuras

FAQs

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

It portrays the Asuric temperament—pride and hunger for victory—as a binding force (pāśa) that drives beings into conflict, contrasting with the Shaiva path where surrender to Pati (Shiva) loosens bondage and leads toward grace.

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

While the verse is martial in tone, it implicitly highlights the opposite of Linga-worship: instead of turning the mind toward Saguna Shiva through devotion, the Asuras turn outward to conquest. Linga-upāsanā in the Shiva Purana is repeatedly presented as the remedy for ego and restlessness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter pride with japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and cultivate humility; on Mahāśivarātri, this is reinforced through disciplined worship (abhisheka, vibhūti/tripuṇḍra) aimed at dissolving victory-lust and ego.