Shloka 17

उपमन्यूपदेशः

Upamanyu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

आपः प्रनष्टाः सर्वाश्च पूर्वरोषात्कपर्द्दिनः । शर्वं समकपालेन देवैरिष्ट्वा प्रवर्तितम्

Transliteration

āpaḥ pranaṣṭāḥ sarvāśca pūrvaroṣātkaparddinaḥ | śarvaṃ samakapālena devairiṣṭvā pravartitam

Translation

Toutes les eaux avaient disparu à cause de l’ancienne colère de Kapardin (Śiva). Alors les dieux adorèrent Śarva par une offrande entière dans le bol-crâne, et par ce rite le courant sacré fut remis en mouvement.

Word by Word

• आपः: waters
• आपः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/आप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine; pluralia tantum), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रनष्टाः: were destroyed/lost
• प्रनष्टाः: क्रिया (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नश् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (आपः इति विशेष्येण सह)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पूर्वरोषात्: from the earlier anger
• पूर्वरोषात्: हेतु (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + रोष (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारयार्थे) ‘पूर्वः रोषः’; पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कपर्द्दिनः: of Kapardin (Śiva)
• कपर्द्दिनः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्द्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक; शिवनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शर्वम्: Śarva (Śiva)
• शर्वम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक; शिवनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समकपालेन: with the (same) skull-bowl
• समकपालेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम + कपाल (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय) ‘समं कपालं यस्य/सह’ → ‘with an equal skull/bowl’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• इष्ट्वा: having worshipped
• इष्ट्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/यज् (धातु; ‘to worship/sacrifice’) + त्वा (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययवत्; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया ‘having worshipped’

• प्रवर्तितम्: was set in motion
• प्रवर्तितम्: क्रिया (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वृत् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: णिजन्त-क्त-कृदन्त (causative PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘was set in motion/caused to proceed’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga legend; it presents a cosmic-ecological motif: waters withdraw due to Śiva’s wrath, then return when devas propitiate Śarva with kapāla-offering.

Significance: Teaches that cosmic order (including waters) is contingent on alignment with Śiva; propitiation restores flow—an archetype for drought-removal and loka-kalyāṇa rites.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Waters vanish and are re-set in motion—miniature pralaya/nirodha motif (local dissolution and restoration).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

It shows that when the cosmic order is withdrawn by Rudra’s power, restoration comes through humble propitiation of Śiva as Pati—the Lord who both withholds and releases grace for the world’s welfare.

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

Śarva/Kapardin is approached as Saguna Śiva—worshipped through concrete rites and offerings—indicating that devotional ritual (pūjā/īṣṭi) is a valid means to receive Śiva’s restoring grace, which the Linga also embodies as the accessible form of the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse highlights propitiatory worship to pacify Rudra—practically expressed as Śiva-pūjā with mantra (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and offerings; the kapāla motif underscores renunciation and ego-shedding as the inner attitude behind the rite.