Shloka 53

Umā-caritra-prārthanā: Ṛṣayaḥ Sūtaṃ Pṛcchanti

Request for the Account of Umā

Devanagari script

तदा द्वावसुरौ जातौ विष्णौ कर्णमलेन वै । मधुकैटभनामानौ विख्यातौ पृथिवीतले

Transliteration

tadā dvāvasurau jātau viṣṇau karṇamalena vai | madhukaiṭabhanāmānau vikhyātau pṛthivītale

Translation

ત્યારે વિષ્ણુના કાનના મેલમાંથી ખરેખર બે અસુરો જન્મ્યા. તેઓ પૃથ્વી પર મધુ અને કૈટભ નામે પ્રસિદ્ધ થયા.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• असुरौ: demons
• असुरौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• जातौ: were born/arose
• जातौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु) + jāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; ‘भू/अभवत्’ इत्यर्थे (predicate participle)

• विष्णौ: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णौ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th) एकवचनस्य रूपेण ‘विष्णोः’ इत्यर्थे (genitive singular used in sense of ‘of Viṣṇu’)

• कर्णमलेन: by/with ear-wax
• कर्णमलेन: Karaṇa (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇa-mala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): कर्णस्य मलः (ear-wax)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• मधुकैटभनामानौ: named Madhu and Kaiṭabha
• मधुकैटभनामानौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhu + kaiṭabha + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: मधुकैटभ-नामानौ = ‘मधु’ ‘कैटभ’ इति नाम्नी यस्य (having the names Madhu and Kaiṭabha)

• विख्यातौ: became renowned
• विख्यातौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-khyā (धातु) + vikhyāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate)

• पृथिवीतले: on the earth’s surface
• पृथिवीतले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī-tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: पृथिव्याः तलम् (surface of the earth)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: post-pralaya causal phase; emergence of asuric forces during divine sleep

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Madhu
• Kaitabha

FAQs

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

It highlights how even from a divine being’s body, forces of tamas and obstruction can arise in the cosmic play; in Shaiva understanding, such beings remain within the domain of māyā (pāśa), while liberation comes through the grace of Pati—Śiva.

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

By showing the emergence of disruptive powers, the narrative implicitly points to the need for refuge in Saguna Śiva—worship of the Liṅga as the accessible form of Pati—who subdues chaos and grants protection and clarity to the bound soul (paśu).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to counter tamasic obstruction through steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and regular Śiva-pūjā to the Liṅga, cultivating purity and vigilance against inner ‘asuric’ tendencies.