Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 28

मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence

Tapas-abode

Devanagari script

ततः प्रभृति शक्रादीन्विजित्य समरे सुरान् । निःस्वाध्यायवषट्कारं जगच्चक्रतुरक्रमात्

Transliteration

tataḥ prabhṛti śakrādīnvijitya samare surān | niḥsvādhyāyavaṣaṭkāraṃ jagaccakraturakramāt

Translation

Dès lors, ayant vaincu au combat Indra et les autres dieux, par une puissance irrésistible il plongea le monde dans le silence : la récitation des Veda et le cri sacrificiel « vaṣaṭ » s’éteignirent.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb: from then)

• प्रभृति: from (that time) onward
• प्रभृति: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभृति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भवाचक (since/from)

• शक्रादीन्: Indra and others
• शक्रादीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘शक्र-आदि’ = शक्रप्रभृतीन् (and others beginning with Indra)

• विजित्य: having conquered
• विजित्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + जि (धातु) → विजित्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/absolutive)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त; ल्यप् (gerund/absolutive) = “having conquered”

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• निःस्वाध्यायवषट्कारम्: devoid of Vedic study and vaṣaṭ-calls
• निःस्वाध्यायवषट्कारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + स्वाध्याय + वषट्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्/निः-पूर्वक तत्पुरुष (svādhyāya-rahitaṃ vaṣaṭkāra-rahitaṃ) — qualifying जगत्

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चक्रतुः: the two made/did
• चक्रतुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• अक्रमात्: disorderly, without proper sequence
• अक्रमात्: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = “without order/irregularly”

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (implicit) vaṣaṭ

Type: rudram

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: dharma-kṣaya (ritual collapse)

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Devas

FAQs

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

It depicts a collapse of dharmic order: when hostile powers dominate, svādhyāya (Vedic discipline) and yajña (sacrificial worship) diminish, signaling spiritual darkness that ultimately necessitates turning to Pati (Shiva) for restoration of grace and right order.

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

When external ritual life (vaṣaṭ in yajña) becomes obstructed, Shaiva tradition emphasizes taking refuge in Saguna Shiva—often through Linga worship—as a stable, accessible support for devotion and purification even amid social and cosmic disorder.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied remedy is renewed daily discipline: svādhyāya with Shiva-oriented mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), alongside Shaiva observances such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa for steadiness in dharma.