Shloka 162

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Birth and Boon; Puṣkara’s Glory; Rāma’s Śrāddha; Refuge-Hymn to Śiva

Devanagari script

शंखेंदुकुंदधवलं वृषभं प्रवीरमारुह्य यः क्षितिधरेंद्रसुतानुयातः । यात्यंबरं प्रलयमेघविभूषितं च तं शंकरं शरणदं शरणं व्रजामि

Transliteration

śaṃkheṃdukuṃdadhavalaṃ vṛṣabhaṃ pravīramāruhya yaḥ kṣitidhareṃdrasutānuyātaḥ | yātyaṃbaraṃ pralayameghavibhūṣitaṃ ca taṃ śaṃkaraṃ śaraṇadaṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi

Translation

Я прибегаю к прибежищу у Шанкары, дарующего прибежище: он, воссев на могучего быка, белого как раковина, луна и жасмин, и сопровождаемый дочерью Владыки Гор, шествует по небу, украшенному облаками, подобными тучам космического разрушения.

Word by Word

• śaṅkha-indu-kunda-dhavalam: white like conch, moon, and jasmine
• śaṅkha-indu-kunda-dhavalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṅkha + indu + kunda + dhavala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/तुल्योपमान-समासार्थे विशेषण (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• vṛṣabham: the bull (Nandin)
• vṛṣabham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• pravīram: the heroic one
• pravīram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• āruhya: having mounted
• āruhya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√ruh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having mounted)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• kṣiti-dhara-indra-sutā-anuyātaḥ: followed by the mountain-king’s daughter (Pārvatī)
• kṣiti-dhara-indra-sutā-anuyātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣiti-dhara + indra + sutā + anu-√yā (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘(पार्वती) द्वारा अनुगतः’ (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; followed by the daughter of the lord of mountains)

• yāti: goes
• yāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 3rd person singular)

• ambaram: to the sky
• ambaram: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• pralaya-megha-vibhūṣitam: adorned with doomsday clouds
• pralaya-megha-vibhūṣitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pralaya + megha + vibhūṣita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (vibhūṣita); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘प्रलयमेघैः विभूषितम्’ (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adorned with dissolution-clouds)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• śaṃkaram: Śaṅkara
• śaṃkaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• śaraṇa-dam: giver of refuge
• śaraṇa-dam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaraṇa + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• śaraṇam: as refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• vrajāmi: I go / I take refuge
• vrajāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vraj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 1st person singular)

Speaker

Narratorial/devotional voice (stotra-style verse; speaker not explicitly marked in the given excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: śaṅkha+indu+… → śaṃkheṃdu… (anusvāra/saṃdhi); kṣitidhara-indra-sutā-anuyātaḥ → kṣitidhareṃdrasutānuyātaḥ; yāti + ambaram → yātyaṃbaram

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Vṛṣabha (Nandin)
• Pārvatī (Girinandini)

FAQs

Who is described as being followed by the “daughter of the Lord of Mountains” in this verse?

Śaṅkara (Śiva) is described as being followed by Pārvatī, the daughter of Himālaya, the “lord of mountains.”

What is the significance of the imagery “clouds like those of cosmic dissolution (pralaya)”?

It evokes Śiva’s cosmic dimension—his association with the cycles of creation and dissolution—portraying him as moving through a sky ornamented by awe-inspiring, end-time clouds.

What devotional teaching is emphasized by the refrain-like idea “I take refuge” (śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi)?

The verse centers on śaraṇāgati (taking refuge): approaching Śiva not merely as a deity to praise, but as the direct protector and grantor of shelter (śaraṇada).