Shloka 21

शरभप्रादुर्भावो नाम षण्णवतितमोऽध्यायः (जलन्धरविमर्दनम्)

Devanagari script

हन्तुं चराचरं सर्वं समर्थो ऽहं सवासवम् को महेश्वर मद्बाणैर् अच्छेद्यो भुवनत्रये

Transliteration

hantuṃ carācaraṃ sarvaṃ samartho 'haṃ savāsavam ko maheśvara madbāṇair acchedyo bhuvanatraye

Translation

« Je suis capable de détruire tout ce qui bouge et tout ce qui est immobile, y compris Indra et les dieux. Ô Maheśvara, qui dans les trois mondes n'est pas tranché par mes flèches ? »

Word by Word

• हन्तुम्: to slay/destroy

• चराचरम्: the moving and the unmoving (all beings)

• सर्वम्: all

• समर्थः: capable/powerful

• अहम्: I

• स-वासवम्: together with Vāsava (Indra) / along with the gods

• कः: who?

• महेश्वर: O Maheśvara (Great Lord, Śiva)

• मद्-बाणैः: by my arrows

• अच्छेद्यः: not to be cut/that cannot be struck down

• भुवन-त्रये: in the three worlds

Speaker

An arrogant warrior (contextually an Asuric figure) addressing Shiva as Maheśvara; outer narration by Suta to the sages

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Indra

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It dramatizes the collapse of ego (ahaṅkāra) before Maheśvara—an inner prerequisite for true Liṅga-bhakti, where the pashu (soul) abandons pasha (bondage) and turns toward Pati (Shiva).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By challenging Maheśvara’s invincibility, the verse sets up the teaching that worldly power cannot comprehend Shiva-tattva: Pati is not merely a being within the three worlds but the sovereign principle before whom all finite agency fails.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is Pāśupata-style discipline of humility and surrender—cutting the pasha of pride—so worship and japa are grounded in devotion rather than self-assertion.