Shloka 20

Devanagari script

अथो स तारको दैत्यो महाबलपराक्रमः । तपः कर्तुं जनन्याश्चाज्ञां ययाचे महामनाः

Transliteration

atho sa tārako daityo mahābalaparākramaḥ | tapaḥ kartuṃ jananyāścājñāṃ yayāce mahāmanāḥ

Translation

Alors le démon Tāraka — d’une force immense et d’une vaillance héroïque, noble dans sa résolution — demanda à sa mère la permission d’entreprendre des austérités (tapas), désirant la puissance que confère une pénitence disciplinée.

Word by Word

• atho: then indeed
• atho: Kāla (काल/sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय) + u (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-सन्धि; 'अथ' (then) + 'उ' (emphatic particle)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (pronoun)

• tārakaḥ: Tāraka
• tārakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (proper noun)

• daityaḥ: the demon (Daitya)
• daityaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mahā-bala-parākramaḥ: of great strength and prowess
• mahā-bala-parākramaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुषः/समाहार-निर्देश) — 'महच्च बलं च पराक्रमश्च यस्य' (of great strength and valor)

• tapaḥ: austerity; penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kartum: to perform
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), 'to do'

• jananyāḥ: of (his) mother
• jananyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jananī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• ājñām: permission; command
• ājñām: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yayāce: requested; begged
• yayāce: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yāc (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• mahā-manāḥ: great-minded
• mahā-manāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (महान् मनः यस्य)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Taraka

FAQs

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

It shows the potency of tapas as a real spiritual force, while also warning that austerity without right intention can be used to seek worldly dominance rather than devotion to Pati (Shiva) and liberation.

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

In the Shiva Purana narrative, tapas often culminates in seeking a boon from a deity; for Shaiva understanding, true fulfillment comes when tapas is offered to Saguna Shiva (often worshipped as the Linga) with bhakti, not merely for power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse highlights tapas (disciplined sadhana); a Shaiva takeaway is steady japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” supported by purity and restraint, rather than austerity driven by egoistic aims.