Shloka 12

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

Devanagari script

अथार्जुनोत्तरे ज्ञात्वा स्मृत्वा शिवपदांबुजम् । दधार पादयोस्तं वै तद्ध्यानादाप्तसद्बलः

Transliteration

athārjunottare jñātvā smṛtvā śivapadāṃbujam | dadhāra pādayostaṃ vai taddhyānādāptasadbalaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അർജുനൻ സ്ഥിതി മനസ്സിലാക്കി ശ്രീശിവന്റെ പാദപദ്മങ്ങൾ സ്മരിച്ചു; ആ ധ്യാനത്തിൽ നിന്നുള്ള ബലത്തോടെ അവനെ തന്റെ പാദങ്ങളിൽ ദൃഢമായി പിടിച്ചു നിർത്തി।

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आरम्भ/अनन्तर (sequence marker)

• अर्जुन-उत्तरे: in Arjuna’s response
• अर्जुन-उत्तरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘of Arjuna’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative ‘in Arjuna’s reply/response’ (contextual)

• ज्ञात्वा: having understood
• ज्ञात्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय, ‘having known/understood’

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय, ‘having remembered’

• शिवपदाम्बुजम्: Śiva’s lotus-feet
• शिवपदाम्बुजम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी: ‘Śiva’s’ + कर्मधारय within पदाम्बुज ‘lotus-feet’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दधार: held / bore
• दधार: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• पादयोः: on the two feet
• पादयोः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन; gen./loc. dual ‘of/on the feet’

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थक/एवकारार्थ (emphatic particle)

• तत्: from that
• तत्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; with ध्यानात्: ‘from that’

• ध्यानात्: from meditation
• ध्यानात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; ablative ‘from meditation’

• आप्त-सत्-बलः: having obtained true strength
• आप्त-सत्-बलः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘one whose good strength is obtained’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Arjuna

FAQs

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

It teaches that remembrance and meditation on Śiva’s lotus-feet (pati-dhyāna) grants inner, sattvic strength, enabling a devotee to act rightly and steadily even in intense situations—an expression of Śiva’s grace supporting the soul (paśu) toward freedom.

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

Meditating on Śiva’s ‘lotus-feet’ is Saguna-bhakti: the devotee fixes the mind on Śiva with form and attributes. In practice, this aligns with Linga-worship where the mind is anchored in Śiva’s presence, and strength arises from focused devotion rather than mere physical power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A clear takeaway is dhyāna and smaraṇa—quietly remembering Śiva (often with the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while visualizing Śiva’s feet or the Linga, so that composure and auspicious strength (sad-bala) arise for disciplined action.