Shloka 28

Slaying of Andhaka; Hymn to the Sun; Glory of Brahmins; Gayatri Nyasa and Pranayama

Devanagari script

निहताश्चापि देवानां बहूनामेकताकृतां । सस्फुलिंगार्चिषो वह्नेर्मुंचमानः पिनाकधृक्

Transliteration

nihatāścāpi devānāṃ bahūnāmekatākṛtāṃ | sasphuliṃgārciṣo vahnermuṃcamānaḥ pinākadhṛk

Translation

देवानां बहून् निहत्यैकताकृतानिव; पिनाकधृक् वह्नेः सस्फुलिङ्गार्चिषो ज्वालाः मुञ्चमानः प्रववृते।

Word by Word

• nihatāḥ: slain
• nihatāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nihata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); PPP (क्त) of √han with ni-

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

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (अव्यय), ‘also/even’

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bahūnām: of many
• bahūnām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying devānām

• ekatā-kṛtān: made into one (heap/cluster)
• ekatā-kṛtān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekatā (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘ekatāṃ kṛtavān’ = ‘made into one (mass)’

• sasphuliṅga-arciṣaḥ: spark-flames
• sasphuliṅga-arciṣaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa-sphuliṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + arciṣ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘sphuliṅgavatyaḥ arciṣaḥ’ = ‘spark-bearing flames’

• vahneḥ: of fire
• vahneḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• muñcamānaḥ: emitting
• muñcamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त), Parasmaipada sense, Masculine Nominative Singular; ‘releasing/emitting’

• pināka-dhṛk: the bearer of Pināka (Śiva)
• pināka-dhṛk: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pināka (प्रातिपदिक) + dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); उपपद-तत्पुरुष with क्विप्: ‘pinākaṃ dharati’ = ‘bearer of Pināka (bow)’

Speaker

Narratorial voice (contextual speaker not explicit in this single verse extract)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: nihatāḥ+ca+api → nihatāścāpi; bahūnām+ekatākṛtān → bahūnāmekatākṛtān; vahneḥ+muñcamānaḥ → vahnermuñcamānaḥ.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Śiva (Pinākadhṛk)

FAQs

Who is “Pinākadhṛk” in this verse?

“Pinākadhṛk” means “the bearer of Pināka,” identifying Śiva, whose bow is named Pināka.

What is the image conveyed by “making many gods into oneness” (ekatākṛtām)?

It poetically describes the gods being overwhelmed together—compressed into a single group or mass—emphasizing the force and dominance of Śiva in the scene.

What ethical or theological idea can be drawn from this verse?

The verse underscores divine power and cosmic hierarchy: even the devas can be subdued when a higher divine force asserts itself, reminding readers that pride or disorder among celestial beings is ultimately checked by supreme authority.