Shloka 47

Mahiṣāsura’s Conquest of Svarga and the Devas’ Appeal to Śiva and Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

शृंगभिन्नाः पयोवाहाः खण्डं खण्डमयासिषुः । लांगूलेनाहतश्चाब्धिर्विष्वगुद्वेलमस्पदत्

Transliteration

śṛṃgabhinnāḥ payovāhāḥ khaṇḍaṃ khaṇḍamayāsiṣuḥ | lāṃgūlenāhataścābdhirviṣvagudvelamaspadat

Translation

角に裂かれた乳の流れは、こまごまと断片に砕け散った。さらに海もまた尾に打たれ、四方にうねり立ち、己が境を越えて溢れ上がった。

Word by Word

• śṛṅga-bhinnāḥ: split by horns
• śṛṅga-bhinnāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of Karta (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + bhinna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √bhid)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘शृङ्गेण भिन्नाः/शृङ्गभिन्नाः’ = horn-split

• payovāhāḥ: clouds (milk/water-bearers)
• payovāhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: payaḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + vāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘पयः वहन्ति’ = milk-bearers (clouds)

• khaṇḍam: into pieces
• khaṇḍam: Karma/Prakāra (कर्म/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as adverbial accusative)

• khaṇḍam: piece by piece
• khaṇḍam: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition)

• ayāsiṣuḥ: became/went (into)
• ayāsiṣuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘अयासिषुः’ = they went/became (took the state)

• lāṅgūlena: with the tail
• lāṅgūlena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lāṅgūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• āhataḥ: having been struck
• āhataḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-han (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘struck’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• abdhiḥ: the ocean
• abdhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abdhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• viṣvak: in all directions
• viṣvak: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viṣvak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = in all directions

• udvelam: out of bounds, surging
• udvelam: Karma/Phala (कर्म/फल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udvela (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate/accusative of result) ‘overflowing/out of bounds’

• aspadat: became/moved
• aspadat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-spad (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: ocean overflowing its bounds as a battle-omen (world-order disruption)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It portrays nature’s forces becoming unstable and overflowing, pointing to how the bound soul (paśu) experiences fragmentation and agitation under pāśa; stability is regained by turning to Pati—Lord Shiva—who alone governs and transcends the elements.

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

The overflowing ocean and shattered streams highlight the unreliability of external nature; the Linga, as Saguna symbol of the transcendent Shiva, becomes the steady focus through which the devotee seeks refuge, order, and grace amid upheaval.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while contemplating the Linga as the unmoving center, especially when emotions ‘overflow’ like the ocean in the verse.