Shloka 7

तृतीयनेत्राग्निनिवृत्तिः / Quelling the Fire of the Third Eye

Vāḍava Fire Placed in the Ocean

Devanagari script

अथ क्रोधमयं वह्निं दग्धुकाम जगत्त्रयम् । वाडवांतकमार्षं च सौम्यज्वालामुखं मुने

Transliteration

atha krodhamayaṃ vahniṃ dagdhukāma jagattrayam | vāḍavāṃtakamārṣaṃ ca saumyajvālāmukhaṃ mune

Translation

Kemudian, wahai resi, tampaklah api yang sarat amarah, berhasrat membakar tiga alam—nyala yang melahap segalanya, pemusnah api Vaḍava di dasar samudera, api para ṛṣi yang tiada tertahan, namun berwajah lembut dan bercahaya.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle) आरम्भ/अनन्तर्य

• क्रोधमयम्: full of wrath
• क्रोधमयम्: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट् (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त-विशेषण (made of/filled with); विशेषणम् (वह्निम्)

• वह्निम्: fire
• वह्निम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दग्धुकामम्: desiring to burn
• दग्धुकामम्: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दह् (धातु) + तुमुन् (infinitive) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद-तत्पुरुष: दग्धुं कामः यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वह्निम्)

• जगत्-त्रयम्: the three worlds
• जगत्-त्रयम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रयाणि जगन्ति), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वाडव-अन्तकम्: the destroyer of the submarine fire
• वाडव-अन्तकम्: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाडव (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वाडवस्य अन्तकः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वह्निम्)

• आर्षम्: of the ṛṣis / sacred
• आर्षम्: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वह्निम्)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सौम्य-ज्वाला-मुखम्: having a mouth with gentle flames
• सौम्य-ज्वाला-मुखम्: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय: सौम्याः ज्वालाः यस्य मुखम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वह्निम्)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: The verse’s imagery of all-consuming, world-threatening fire resonates with Mahākāla’s saṃhāra-śakti; in Ujjain’s Mahākāleśvara tradition, Śiva as Time/Death subdues destructive forces and grants protection to the worlds.

Significance: Protection from untimely death, pacification of fierce forces (kāla/raudra), and stabilization of dharma through Śiva’s saṃhāra held in check by grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: World-threatening conflagration imagery (pralaya-like fire impulse) restrained within cosmic order.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It portrays a cosmic, wrath-born fire capable of consuming the three worlds, yet described as “gentle-faced,” indicating that Shiva’s power (Rudra-śakti) is both destructive to bondage and ultimately auspicious when aligned with dharma and devotion.

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

The verse highlights Shiva’s Saguna sovereignty over elemental forces like fire; Linga-worship recognizes Him as the controller of creation and dissolution, and devotion transforms fearsome energies into grace-bearing, “saumya” (benevolent) manifestations.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pacify inner ‘krodha-agni’ (anger-fire) through Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Tripuṇḍra/bhasma remembrance of impermanence, cultivating Shiva’s calm, auspicious awareness.