Shloka 11

Adhyaya 82 — The Rise of Mahishasura and the Manifestation of the Goddess from the Gods’ Tejas

Sanskrit

अतीव तेजसः कूटं ज्वलन्तमिव पर्वतम् । ददृशुस्ते सुरास्तत्र ज्वालाव्याप्तदिगन्तरम् ॥

Transliteration

atīva tejasaḥ kūṭaṃ jvalantam iva parvatam / dadṛśus te surās tatra jvālāvyāptadigantaram

Translation

Là, les dieux virent un sommet d’une splendeur sans pareille, tel une montagne embrasée, dont les flammes se répandaient dans les directions et dans les intervalles entre elles.

Word by Word

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: विशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तेजसः: of radiance
• तेजसः: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive: 'of radiance')

• कूटम्: a peak, mass
• कूटम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object of 'ददृशुः')

• ज्वलन्तम्: blazing
• ज्वलन्तम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्वल् (धातु) → ज्वलन्त् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कूटम्/पर्वतम्-विशेषण

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• पर्वतम्: a mountain
• पर्वतम्: उपमान (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; उपमान (object in simile)

• ददृशुः: they saw
• ददृशुः: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सुराः: the gods
• सुराः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'gods'

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• ज्वाला-व्याप्त-दिगन्तरम्: whose horizons were pervaded by flames
• ज्वाला-व्याप्त-दिगन्तरम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याप्त (√व्याप् + क्त, कृदन्त) + दिगन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: 'ज्वालाभिः व्याप्तं दिगन्तरं यस्य' (flame-pervaded expanse of directions) — here as adjective to कूटम्/पर्वतम्

Speakers

• Rishi narrator

Primary Deities

• Devas (collectively)

Shakti Aspects

• Pre-form radiance of Devī; the ‘tejas-mountain’ preceding embodiment

Key Themes

• Theophany
• Radiance imagery
• Cosmic scale of Śakti
• Awe and revelation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

True corrective power is not petty; it is vast enough to fill the horizons—suggesting that dharma-restoring action must match the scale of the disorder.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita (visionary episode) supporting the Devi’s origin narrative within the Purāṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘mountain of tejas’ evokes the axis of consciousness (meru-like stability) with rising inner fire; it is the luminous ground from which the Goddess-form crystallizes.