Shloka 40

दुर्वाससः तपः-प्रभावः तथा देवाः ब्रह्म-विष्ण्वोः शरणागमनम् | Durvāsā’s Tapas and the Devas’ Appeal to Brahmā and Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

प्रजज्वालाति तं चक्रं मुनिं दग्धुं सुदर्शनम् । शिवरूपं तमज्ञात्वा शिवमायाविमोहितम्

Transliteration

prajajvālāti taṃ cakraṃ muniṃ dagdhuṃ sudarśanam | śivarūpaṃ tamajñātvā śivamāyāvimohitam

Translation

ശിവമായയാൽ മോഹിതനായി, ആ മുനി ശിവസ്വരൂപമാണെന്നു അറിയാതെ, സുദർശനചക്രം അവനെ ദഹിപ്പാൻ ഭീകരമായി ജ്വലിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• prajajvāla: blazed forth
• prajajvāla: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-jval (ज्वल् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्/perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• iti: thus / indeed
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Sentence-ending particle (इति, अव्यय)

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• cakram: discus
• cakram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• munim: the sage
• munim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• dagdhum: to burn
• dagdhum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dah (दह् धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), Avyaya-kṛdanta (अव्ययकृदन्त)

• sudarśanam: Sudarśana (the well-seen, auspicious)
• sudarśanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); Karmadhāraya: ‘beautiful/auspicious to behold’ (epithet of cakra)

• śiva-rūpam: Śiva’s form
• śiva-rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa: śivasya rūpam = ‘Śiva-form’

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ajñātvā: not knowing
• ajñātvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jñā (ज्ञा धातु) with negation a-
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा) with privative prefix a- (अ-), Avyaya-kṛdanta (अव्ययकृदन्त)

• śiva-māyā-vimohitam: deluded by Śiva’s māyā
• śiva-māyā-vimohitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva + māyā + vi-mohita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); PPP (क्त) of vi-muh (मुह् धातु) ‘deluded’; Tatpuruṣa: śivasya māyayā vimohitam (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष sense)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sudarshana

FAQs

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

It teaches that divine power itself can become ineffective or misdirected when one fails to recognize Śiva’s presence; ignorance (ajñāna) under Śiva’s māyā veils the truth that the sage embodies Śiva.

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

The verse underscores Saguna Śiva—Śiva manifest as an accessible form—showing that recognizing Śiva’s form (in the Liṅga or in a realized sage) is central; without right recognition, even great forces act under delusion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with bhāva of seeing Śiva in all, supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to overcome māyā and cultivate right discernment.