Shloka 21

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा नारीकुलं रुद्रं पुत्राणामपि केशवम् / मोहयन्तं मुनिश्रेष्ठाः कोपं संदधिरे भृशम्

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā nārīkulaṃ rudraṃ putrāṇāmapi keśavam / mohayantaṃ muniśreṣṭhāḥ kopaṃ saṃdadhire bhṛśam

Translation

ରୁଦ୍ର ନାରୀକୁଳକୁ ମୋହିତ କରୁଥିବା ଏବଂ କେଶବ ତାଙ୍କର ନିଜ ପୁତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଭ୍ରମିତ କରୁଥିବା ଦେଖି, ମୁନିଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠମାନେ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ କ୍ରୋଧିତ ହେଲେ।

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• नारी-कुलम्: the group of women
• नारी-कुलम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नारीणां कुलम्)

• रुद्रम्: Rudra (Śiva)
• रुद्रम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पुत्राणाम्: of the sons
• पुत्राणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्धसूचक (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ ‘also/even’

• केशवम्: Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• केशवम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मोहयन्तम्: deluding/causing to be bewildered
• मोहयन्तम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa) to रुद्रम्/केशवम्
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु) → मोहयत् (कृदन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; causative (णिच्) ‘causing delusion’

• मुनि-श्रेष्ठाः: the best of sages
• मुनि-श्रेष्ठाः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुनीनां श्रेष्ठाः)

• कोपम्: anger
• कोपम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• संदधिरे: they fixed/placed/assumed
• संदधिरे: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्ष), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• भृशम्: excessively, greatly
• भृशम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the episode to the assembled sages (Naimiṣāraṇya framework)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Shiva)
• Keśava (Vishnu)
• Munis (sages)
• Womenfolk (nārīkula)
• Sons (putrāḥ)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By portraying even exalted beings (Rudra and Keśava) as agents of मोह (delusion) within līlā, the verse implies that worldly fascination and anger arise in the field of māyā; the Atman remains the witnessing reality beyond such modifications.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Indirectly, it points to the need for vairāgya (dispassion) and mastery over krodha (anger) and moha (infatuation)—core prerequisites for Pāśupata-oriented discipline and broader yogaśāstra, where the senses and mind must not be carried away by appearances.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Rudra and Keśava appear together in a coordinated līlā that tests beings through māyā, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s synthetic stance: the same supreme governance operates through both Shaiva and Vaishnava forms rather than presenting them as rival powers.