Shloka 37

Śiva–Arjuna Yuddha and the Subjugation of Pride (Śiva-parīkṣā)

Devanagari script

दशदोष नमस्तुभ्यन्नमस्ते परमात्मने । डमरुकपालहस्ताय नमस्ते मुण्डमालिने

Transliteration

daśadoṣa namastubhyannamaste paramātmane | ḍamarukapālahastāya namaste muṇḍamāline

Translation

十の過失を除き給う御方よ、あなたに敬礼。至上の真我よ、あなたに敬礼。ダマル（ḍamaru）と髑髏鉢を手に持つ御方よ、あなたに敬礼。髑髏の花鬘を戴く御方よ、あなたに敬礼。

Word by Word

• दश: ten
• दश: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण; संख्या (numeral) ‘ten’ (used as compound member)

• दोष: (one with) ten faults (epithet)
• दोष: सम्बोधन-विशेषण (Epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘दशदोष’ (द्विगु-समास) as an epithet

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Salutation formula)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग; निपात/indeclinable interjection ‘salutation’

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन — dative singular ‘to you’

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; salutation (repeated)

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी, एकवचन — dative singular (to you)

• परमात्मने: to the Supreme Self
• परमात्मने: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — dative singular; ‘परम + आत्मन्’

• डमरु: drum (ḍamaru)
• डमरु: समास-पूर्वपद (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डमरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (compound member)

• कपाल: skull
• कपाल: समास-पूर्वपद (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (compound member)

• हस्ताय: to (him) with drum-and-skull in hand
• हस्ताय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — dative singular; ‘डमरु-कपाल-हस्त’ = ‘whose hand (holds) drum and skull’ (determinative)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; salutation

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी, एकवचन — dative singular

• मुण्डमालिने: to the wearer of a garland of severed heads
• मुण्डमालिने: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुण्डमालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन — dative singular; ‘मुण्ड + मालिन्’ = ‘wearer of a garland of skulls/heads’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the hymn of praise within the Shatarudrasaṃhitā context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Kālabhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: The skull-garlanded, kapāla-bearing aspect evokes Mahākāla/Bhairava; Ujjayinī’s Mahākāleśvara is famed as Śiva presiding over Time and granting fearlessness and release from the grip of death/time.

Significance: Pacification of fear of death, removal of grave sins/defilements, and strengthening of vairāgya through Mahākāla-bhakti.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse praises Shiva as Paramātman and as the purifier who removes inner defects, teaching that liberation arises through His grace when the devotee surrenders and offers reverent salutations.

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

Though Shiva is hailed as the formless Supreme Self, He is also adored in a tangible, Saguna form—bearing the ḍamaru and kapāla—showing that Linga-worship and form-based devotion both lead the mind to the same transcendent Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with dhyāna on Shiva as the inner purifier; during worship, offer salutations (namaskāra) while contemplating the ḍamaru (cosmic vibration) and kapāla (ego-offering and transcendence of fear).