Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 11

मन्वन्तर-कल्प-प्रश्नोत्तरम् / Discourse on Manvantaras, Kalpas, and Re-creation

Devanagari script

जगंति तृणवक्त्रीणि देवे दहति पावके । वृष्ट्या भुवि निषिक्तायां विवेलेष्वर्णवेषु च

Transliteration

jagaṃti tṛṇavaktrīṇi deve dahati pāvake | vṛṣṭyā bhuvi niṣiktāyāṃ viveleṣvarṇaveṣu ca

Translation

Когда разгорается Божественный Огонь, существа становятся словно с набитым сухой травой ртом — пожираемые пламенем и терзаемые; и когда дождь изливается на землю, когда раскрываются великие разломы, даже в океанах, (все живые существа гонимы силой этих состояний).

Word by Word

• जगन्ति: move about, roam
• जगन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जग्/√गम् (धातु; 'जगति' इति रूपपरम्परा)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; (पाठभेद/रूपसन्देहः—'जगन्ति' = 'they go/move/roam')

• तृण-वक्त्रीणि: grass-mouthed (creatures)
• तृण-वक्त्रीणि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'तृणं वक्त्रं येषाम्' (those having grass as mouth / grass-mouthed)

• देवे: in the sky / in the heavens
• देवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the sky/when it is in the heavens)

• दहति: burns
• दहति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पावके: in the fire
• पावके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (in/when there is fire)

• वृष्ट्या: by rain
• वृष्ट्या: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन (by rain)

• भुवि: on the earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक; 'भूमि')
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• निषिक्तायाम्: when poured down / having been poured
• निषिक्तायाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि+√सिच् (धातु) से 'निषिक्त' (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भुवि इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (locative absolute nuance: when (rain) has been poured)

• विवेलेषु: in the hollows/low places (reading uncertain)
• विवेलेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवेल (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्लभ/पाठभेदसम्भव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (अर्थसन्देहः—स्थल/विवर/वेलाभागादिषु इति सम्भावना)

• अर्णवेषु: in the oceans
• अर्णवेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: pralaya dynamics: divine fire and overwhelming rains disrupting earth and oceans

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It points to how embodied beings (paśu) are helplessly driven by external forces—heat, rain, and vast natural conditions—illustrating bondage (pāśa) and the need for refuge in Pati, Lord Shiva, who alone grants steadiness and liberation.

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

By showing the instability of worldly supports, it implicitly directs the seeker to a stable, worship-worthy center: Saguna Shiva as the Linga, the accessible form through which grace descends and the bound soul is guided beyond nature’s compulsions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate steadiness through japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and daily Shiva-upasana (with bhasma/tripuṇḍra and inner recollection), so the mind is not swept away by changing conditions.