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Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 36

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

स्तंभितांगस्तु तच्चक्रं घोरमप्रतिमं क्वचित् । इच्छन्नपि समुत्स्रष्टुं न विष्णुरभवत्क्षमः

staṃbhitāṃgastu taccakraṃ ghoramapratimaṃ kvacit | icchannapi samutsraṣṭuṃ na viṣṇurabhavatkṣamaḥ

Mais les membres de Viṣṇu furent soudain immobilisés, et ce disque terrible, sans pareil, ne put être lancé. Bien qu’il voulût le projeter, Viṣṇu en fut incapable, tenu ferme par la souveraineté suprême de Śiva.

स्तंभितparalyzed/stiffened
स्तंभित:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootstambh (स्तम्भ् धातु) + kta (क्त)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), used adjectivally
अङ्गः(one) whose limbs
अङ्गः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); in karmadhāraya-like phrase ‘स्तंभित-अङ्गः’
तुbut
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), adversative particle (विरोध/तु)
तत्that
तत्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative qualifying ‘चक्रम्’
चक्रम्discus
चक्रम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootcakra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
घोरम्terrible
घोरम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootghora (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies ‘चक्रम्’
अप्रतिमम्incomparable
अप्रतिमम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota-pratima (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies ‘चक्रम्’
क्वचित्at some point
क्वचित्:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkvacit (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), adverb (काल/देश) ‘at some time/anywhere’
इच्छन्wishing
इच्छन्:
Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
TypeVerb
Rootiṣ (इष् धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine (पुं), Nominative singular; agrees with ‘विष्णुः’
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), concessive particle (अपि)
समुत्स्रष्टुम्to release/throw forth
समुत्स्रष्टुम्:
Karma (कर्म/Complement of ability)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-ut-sṛj (सृज् धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
FormInfinitive (तुमुनन्त), ‘to hurl/let fly’
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), negation particle (निषेध)
विष्णुःViṣṇu
विष्णुः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
अभवत्became/was
अभवत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootbhū (भू धातु)
FormImperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
क्षमःable
क्षमः:
Pradhana-predicative (विधेय/Predicate)
TypeAdjective
Rootkṣama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective

Suta Goswami

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Sthala Purana: This verse belongs to a supremacy episode where Śiva’s aiśvarya (soverignty) checks Viṣṇu’s weapon; it is not framed as a specific Jyotirliṅga-māhātmya.

Significance: General teaching: surrender to Śiva as the supreme Lord (Pati) removes the soul’s pride and restores right order (dharma).

V
Vishnu
S
Shiva

FAQs

It teaches that all divine powers and instruments operate only under Pati (Śiva). When ego or opposition arises, even exalted beings can be restrained, revealing Śiva as the inner governor and the ultimate refuge.

The Linga signifies Śiva’s transcendent lordship that still governs the manifest world. This episode reinforces Saguna Śiva as the accessible Lord whose will sustains and limits all cosmic functions, including those of Viṣṇu.

The takeaway is surrender through japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and cultivating humility; ritual supports like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa may be adopted as reminders of Śiva’s protecting restraint and grace.