Shloka 803

Devanagari script

अतिष्ठत्‌ स्थाणुभूत: स सहस्र॑ परिवत्सरान्‌ | पार्थ! उस समय सम्पूर्ण देवता और तपोधन महर्षि भगवान्‌ शंकरकी स्तुति करने लगे। उन भगवानने उस अनुपम एवं दिव्य माहेश्वर स्थान (रथ)-का निर्माण करके उसपर एक हजार वर्षोतक स्थिरभावसे खड़े रहे

Transliteration

atiṣṭhat sthāṇubhūtaḥ sa sahasraṁ parivatsarān | pārtha! tadā samagrā devatāś ca tapodhanā maharṣayaś ca bhagavantaṁ śaṅkaraṁ stotum ārabdhavantaḥ | sa bhagavān anupamaṁ divyaṁ māheśvaraṁ sthānaṁ (rathaṁ) nirmāya tatropaviśya/āsthāya sahasraṁ varṣāṇi sthirabhāvena tiṣṭhām āsa |

Translation

Vyāsa said: He stood motionless like a pillar for a thousand years. O Pārtha, at that time all the gods and the ascetic seers began to praise Lord Śaṅkara. That Lord, having fashioned an incomparable and divine Māheśvara station—his chariot—remained there, steadfast and unmoving, for a full thousand years. The passage underscores the ethical force of unwavering tapas and the power of devotion that draws divine presence and aid.

Word by Word

• अतिष्ठत्: stood; remained standing
• अतिष्ठत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, 3, singular

• स्थाणु-भूतः: having become like a pillar; motionless
• स्थाणु-भूतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थाणुभूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• परिवत्सरान्: years (full cycles of years)
• परिवत्सरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Śaṅkara (Śiva/Maheśvara)
• Devatāḥ (the gods)
• Tapodhanāḥ Maharṣayaḥ (ascetic great seers)
• Māheśvara sthāna (divine station/seat)
• Ratha (chariot)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral power of unwavering discipline (sthirabhāva) and devotion: sustained tapas and sincere praise align beings with dharma and invite divine support, showing that inner steadiness can be more potent than outward force.

What is happening in the narrative?

A figure remains immobile for a thousand years; during this period the gods and ascetic seers praise Śiva. Śiva then fashions a unique divine Māheśvara ‘station’—described as a chariot—and remains there in firm, unshaken posture for a thousand years.