Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

भद्रस्य दिव्यरथारोहणं शङ्खनादश्च — Bhadra’s Divine Chariot-Ascent and the Conch-Blast

Devanagari script

रेभ्याश्रमसमीपस्थस्त्र्यंबको ऽंबिकया सह । सम्पश्यते महाबाहो दुस्सहं ते पराक्रमम्

Transliteration

rebhyāśramasamīpasthastryaṃbako 'ṃbikayā saha | sampaśyate mahābāho dussahaṃ te parākramam

Translation

रेभ्या ऋषींच्या आश्रमाजवळ स्थित त्र्यंबक (शिव) अंबिका (पार्वती) सहित, हे महाबाहो, तुझा दुर्दम्य पराक्रम पाहत आहेत।

Word by Word

• rebhya-āśrama-samīpa-sthaḥ: standing near Rebhyas’ hermitage
• rebhya-āśrama-samīpa-sthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rebhya (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक) + samīpa (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘standing/being near the Rebhyas’ hermitage’

• tryaṃbakaḥ: Tryambaka (Śiva)
• tryaṃbakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tryaṃbaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ambikayā: with Ambikā
• ambikayā: Sahakāraka (सह/साकं)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; preposition/postposition meaning ‘with’ (सह-प्रयोग)

• sampaśyate: sees/observes
• sampaśyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√paś (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahā-bāho: O mighty-armed one
• mahā-bāho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘great-armed’ (address)

• dussaham: unbearable
• dussaham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + saha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘hard to endure’

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक; pronoun)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• parākramam: valor/might
• parākramam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tryambaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Tryambakeśvara

Sthala Purana: The epithet Tryambaka directly evokes the Tryambakeśvara Jyotirliṅga tradition: Śiva as the three-eyed Lord, intimately linked with the Gautamī/Godāvarī region and the sage Gautama’s tīrtha narratives in later sthala accounts. Here, however, the Purāṇic verse uses Tryambaka primarily as a theonym within a narrative setting near a hermitage.

Significance: Darśana of Tryambakeśvara is traditionally sought for purification, removal of doṣas, and liberation-oriented merit; the three-eyed Lord signifies jñāna that burns bondage (pāśa) and grants anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam | urvārukamiva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā'mṛtāt ||

Type: mahamrityunjaya

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Ambika
• Tryambaka
• Rebhya

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Pati (Śiva), the all-aware Lord, directly witnessing worldly power and heroism; in Shaiva Siddhānta this underscores that all action (karma and parākrama) unfolds under the Lord’s conscious oversight, inviting the devotee to align strength with dharma and devotion.

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

By naming Tryambaka with Ambikā, the verse emphasizes Saguna Śiva—personally present, perceivable, and responsive. Linga-worship similarly trains the devotee to recognize the Lord’s immediate presence and grace (anugraha) within sacred places and events.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Tryambaka-smaraṇa: mentally invoking the Three-eyed Lord with Ambikā while repeating the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), offering bhakti so that one’s power becomes disciplined and spiritually fruitful.