Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

तदैव क्षोभयामास त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् । ततः क्रुद्धा महामाया चण्डिका मानविक्रमा

Transliteration

tadaiva kṣobhayāmāsa trailokyaṃ sacarācaram | tataḥ kruddhā mahāmāyā caṇḍikā mānavikramā

Translation

ಅದೇ ಕ್ಷಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವಳು ಚರಾಚರ ಸಮೇತ ತ್ರಿಲೋಕವನ್ನೆಲ್ಲ ಕಂಪಿಸಿದಳು. ನಂತರ ಮಾನವಬಲವನ್ನು ಮೀರಿದ ಮಹಾಮಾಯಾ ಚಂಡಿಕಾ ಕ್ರೋಧಗೊಂಡಳು।

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb: then)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/निश्चयार्थक (emphatic particle)

• क्षोभयामास: shook, agitated
• क्षोभयामास: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्) periphrastic; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; causative sense (णिच्): ‘caused to shake’

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• स-चर-अचरम्: with the moving and the unmoving
• स-चर-अचरम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘त्रैलोक्यम्’)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (thereafter)

• क्रुद्धा: angered
• क्रुद्धा: कर्ता-विशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (to ‘महामाया/चण्डिका’)

• महा-माया: Mahāmāyā (the Great Illusion/Power)
• महा-माया: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• चण्डिका: Caṇḍikā
• चण्डिका: कर्ता (Subject/appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (apposition to ‘महामाया’)

• मानविक्रमा: of great prowess
• मानविक्रमा: कर्ता-विशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसदृश-विशेषणार्थ (having great valor/stride)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Caṇḍikā

Role: destructive

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: trailokya-kṣobha (cosmic agitation of the three worlds)

Characters & Entities

• Chandika
• Mahāmāyā

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Mahāmāyā as the divine power that can shake the entire cosmos, reminding the seeker that worldly stability is contingent on the Lord’s (Pati’s) governance through Śakti; recognizing this reduces ego and strengthens surrender (bhakti) toward Shiva and his divine order.

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

Caṇḍikā’s cosmic action reflects Saguna divinity operating within creation: devotees worship Shiva as the Linga (the stable, transcendent Pati) while honoring Śakti as his manifest power that protects dharma and restrains disorder across the three worlds.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with remembrance that Śakti is Shiva’s operative grace; when facing inner agitation, combine mantra-japa with calm breath and a resolve for dharma, optionally wearing rudrākṣa and applying tripuṇḍra as Shaiva disciplines.