Shloka 51
Śumbha–Niśumbha-pīḍā and Devastuti to Durgā/Śivā
Names and Forms of the Devī
ततः प्रभृति सा देवी धूमावत्युच्यते भुवि । आराधिता स्वभक्तानां शत्रुवर्गनिकर्तिनी
tataḥ prabhṛti sā devī dhūmāvatyucyate bhuvi | ārādhitā svabhaktānāṃ śatruvarganikartinī
അന്നുമുതൽ ആ ദേവി ഭൂവിയിൽ ‘ധൂമാവതീ’ എന്നു അറിയപ്പെടുന്നു; അവളെ ആരാധിച്ചാൽ അവൾ സ്വന്തം ഭക്തരുടെ ശത്രുസമൂഹത്തെ നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Sthala Purana: Not a jyotirliṅga passage; it functions as a nāma-nirukti/etiology: the Devī becomes known as Dhūmāvatī after reducing Dhūmralocana to ash/smoke, and grants protection to devotees by removing hostile forces.
Significance: General śakti-upāsanā benefit: śatru-nāśa and rakṣā for devotees (framed as Devī’s anugraha).
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Dhumāvatī
Role: liberating
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
The verse highlights the Goddess as a protective Śakti who responds to sincere bhakti: when propitiated, she removes hostile forces that obstruct a devotee’s dharma and inner progress toward Shiva-realization.
In the Shiva Purana’s Saguna framework, Shiva and Śakti function inseparably: devotion to the Goddess supports and safeguards the devotee’s Shiva-upāsanā (including Linga worship) by cutting down impediments and adversarial influences.
The implied practice is regular ārādhana (propitiatory worship) with mantra-japa and devotional offerings, undertaken with purity and steadfastness; the fruit emphasized is protection—removal of enemy-like obstacles to sādhanā.