Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

भद्रस्य दिव्यरथारोहणं शङ्खनादश्च — Bhadra’s Divine Chariot-Ascent and the Conch-Blast

Devanagari script

समादाय च तद्दिव्यं धनुस्समरभैरवम् । शनैर्विस्फारयामास मेरुं धनुरिवेश्वरः

Transliteration

samādāya ca taddivyaṃ dhanussamarabhairavam | śanairvisphārayāmāsa meruṃ dhanuriveśvaraḥ

Translation

Saisissant cet arc divin, terrible au combat, le Seigneur le banda lentement, comme s’il faisait du mont Meru l’arc lui-même.

Word by Word

• samādāya: having taken up
• samādāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); "having taken up"

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction): "and"

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (dhanus) "that"

• divyam: divine
• divyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (dhanus)

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• samara-bhairavam: terrible in battle
• samara-bhairavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samara (प्रातिपदिक) + bhairava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative): "samare bhairavam" (terrible in battle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (dhanus)

• śanaiḥ: slowly
• śanaiḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanais (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb): "slowly/gradually"

• visphārayāmāsa: stretched/drew
• visphārayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√sphār (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रेरण (causative) + लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; "caused to stretch/drew (the bow)"

• merum: Mount Meru
• merum: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपमान-रूपेण (as object of comparison)

• dhanuḥ: a bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (upamāna-viṣaya)

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय (particle): "like/as"

• īśvaraḥ: the Lord
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mount Meru

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) whose effortless sovereignty can make even Meru—symbol of cosmic stability—an instrument of His will, teaching surrender and trust in the Lord’s supreme agency.

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

Though the image is martial, it points to Saguna Śiva—God with attributes—who acts in the world for dharma; Linga-worship trains the devotee to perceive that same Īśvara behind all cosmic powers, including Meru.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Śiva as Īśvara while repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” offering water and bilva to the Liṅga; meditate on the Lord’s steady, controlled power (śanaiḥ) as inner discipline in japa and dhyāna.