Shloka 11

Śiva’s Narasiṃha-Stotra and the Pacification of the Mātṛgaṇas

Devanagari script

तादृशेनैव रूपेण दुर्निरीक्ष्येण दैवतैः / प्रणिपत्य तु देवेशं तदा तुष्टाव शङ्करः

Transliteration

tādṛśenaiva rūpeṇa durnirīkṣyeṇa daivataiḥ / praṇipatya tu deveśaṃ tadā tuṣṭāva śaṅkaraḥ

Translation

तदा शङ्करः तमेव रूपं दैवतैरपि दुर्निरीक्ष्यं विलोक्य, देवेशं प्रणिपत्य तुष्टाव॥

Word by Word

• तादृशेन: with such (a)
• तादृशेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• रूपेण: with a form
• रूपेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दुर्निरीक्ष्येण: with (a form) difficult to behold
• दुर्निरीक्ष्येण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + निरीक्ष्य (कृदन्त; from √ईक्ष् धातु, ल्यप्/यत्-प्रत्यय sense ‘to be seen’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (‘दुर्निरीक्ष्य’ = difficult-to-be-seen)

• दैवतैः: by the gods
• दैवतैः: Karta (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + नि + √पत् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त; ल्यपन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• तु: then, indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• देवेशम्: the Lord of the gods
• देवेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: देवानाम् ईशः)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्तु (धातु) उपसर्ग-तु? (here: तुष्टाव is लिट् of √स्तु with augment/phonetic change)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु √स्तु ‘to praise’

• शङ्करः: Shankara (Śiva)
• शङ्करः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue framework)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True recognition of divine supremacy expresses itself as praṇipāta (prostration) and stuti (hymn), even by great deities.

Vedantic Theme: Hierarchy of tattvas: devas as empowered beings still subordinate to Īśvara; bhakti as the fitting response to the Absolute in form.

Application: When confronted with the sublime (success, power, mystery), respond with humility, gratitude, and disciplined praise rather than egoic grasping.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: stotra passages where praise is presented as a purifier and protector

Characters & Entities

• Shankara (Shiva)
• Devesha (Lord of the Devas)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of surrender (praṇipāta) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that even a great deity like Śaṅkara approaches the Supreme Lord through humble prostration and praise, presenting surrender as the proper response to divine majesty.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it sets a devotional model: reverence, humility, and praise are portrayed as virtues that align one with divine order—qualities repeatedly emphasized in the Garuda Purana’s broader teachings on right conduct and spiritual progress.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate humility before what is higher than oneself—through prayer, respectful conduct, and disciplined devotion—especially when facing situations that inspire awe, fear, or uncertainty.