Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

स्कन्दसरः (Skandasara) — तीर्थवर्णनम् / Description of the Skandasara Sacred Lake

Devanagari script

क्वचिन्निमज्जदुन्मज्जत्प्रस्रस्तगजयूथपम् । क्वचिच्च तृषयायातमृगीमृगतुरंगमम्

Transliteration

kvacinnimajjadunmajjatprasrastagajayūthapam | kvacicca tṛṣayāyātamṛgīmṛgaturaṃgamam

Translation

എവിടെയോ ആനക്കൂട്ടങ്ങളുടെ നേതാക്കൾ മുങ്ങി വീണ്ടും പൊങ്ങി, നിരകൾ ചിതറിയതായി കണ്ടു; മറ്റെവിടെയോ ദാഹം കൊണ്ടു തള്ളപ്പെട്ട മാൻപെൺമാനുകളും മാൻകളും വേഗകുതിരകളും കൂട്ടമായി മുന്നേറി വന്നു।

Word by Word

• क्वचित्: somewhere
• क्वचित्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: “somewhere/at some place”)

• निमज्जत्: sinking
• निमज्जत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निमज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with implied object)

• उन्मज्जत्: rising up (surfacing)
• उन्मज्जत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with implied object)

• प्रस्रस्त: slipped down / loosened
• प्रस्रस्त: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + स्रंस् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with implied object)

• गजयूथपम्: the leader of an elephant herd
• गजयूथपम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + यूथप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (gajānāṃ yūthapaḥ); पुल्लिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन

• क्वचित्: elsewhere
• क्वचित्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• तृषया: with thirst
• तृषया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचन (Instrumental; “by/with thirst”)

• आयात: come/arrived
• आयात: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + या (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with implied object)

• मृगी: a doe (female deer)
• मृगी: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन

• मृग: deer
• मृग: समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (stem used as prior member); समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• तुरंगमम्: a swift deer (lit. deer-horse)
• तुरंगमम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरंगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (मृग एव तुरंगमः = “deer that is swift like a horse”); नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (as whole compound object)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Pashupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Descriptive interlude of a landscape filled with distressed creatures; functions as a dharmic-ethical and theological tableau (paśu under pāśa) rather than a site-specific Jyotirliṅga account.

Significance: Invites vairāgya and compassion: seeing saṃsāric restlessness (thirst, fear, scattering) turns the mind toward Śiva as Pati and toward liberation through grace.

FAQs

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

The verse paints a vivid picture of beings driven by compulsion—sinking and rising, scattered and thirsty—symbolizing the paśu (individual soul) tossed by pāśa (bondage such as craving and fear). In Shaiva Siddhanta, such restlessness becomes meaningful when it turns the soul toward Pati, Lord Shiva, who alone grants steadiness and liberation.

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

Though the verse is descriptive, its implied teaching supports Saguna Shiva worship: the Linga is approached as the stable refuge amid worldly agitation. Turning from thirst-driven wandering to Shiva-bhakti and Linga-upasana is the movement from bondage toward grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter inner “thirst” (tṛṣṇā) with japa of the Panchakshara—"Om Namaḥ Śivāya"—and steady daily Shiva worship (optionally with Tripundra and Rudraksha), cultivating calmness and dependence on Shiva’s anugraha (grace).