Shloka 22

शारभावतारवर्णनम्

Account of Śiva’s Śārabha Manifestation and the Measureless Avatāras

Devanagari script

अथोत्संगे च तं कृत्वा नखैस्तदुदरन्द्रुतम् । विदार्य मारयामास पश्यतां त्रिदिवौकसाम्

Transliteration

athotsaṃge ca taṃ kṛtvā nakhaistadudarandrutam | vidārya mārayāmāsa paśyatāṃ tridivaukasām

Translation

अथोत्संगे च तं कृत्वा नखैस्तदुदरन्द्रुतम् । विदार्य मारयामास पश्यतां त्रिदिवौकसाम्

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरबोधक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• उत्सङ्गे: on (his) lap
• उत्सङ्गे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having placed/made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having done/made’

• नखैः: with (his) nails
• नखैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करणवाचक (instrumental)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifies उदरम्

• उदरम्: belly
• उदरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• द्रुतम्: torn open
• द्रुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रुत (प्रातिपदिक) < द्रु (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘torn/opened quickly’ (contextual)

• विदार्य: having ripped open
• विदार्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विदृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) with उपसर्ग ‘वि-’; ‘having ripped’

• मारयामास: killed
• मारयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु) (causative)
• Form: लिट् (Periphrastic perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative (णिच्) of √मृ ‘to die’ → ‘to kill’

• पश्यताम्: of the onlookers
• पश्यताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < दृश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘of those who were watching’

• त्रिदिवौकसाम्: of the dwellers of heaven (gods)
• त्रिदिवौकसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदिवौकस् (प्रातिपदिक) = त्रिदिव + ओकस्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Gajasamhāramūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Celestial beings (Devas)

FAQs

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

It depicts the decisive destruction of adharma by divine power—showing that when oppression becomes entrenched, the Lord’s protecting grace manifests to remove the obstacle and restore dharma.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Shiva’s active, protective aspect—worship of the Linga trains the devotee to recognize that the formless Lord also acts through forms to safeguard devotees and uphold cosmic order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

As a practical takeaway, devotees can steady the mind with the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” praying for inner protection—so destructive tendencies (anger, cruelty, ego) are ‘torn open’ and removed by Shiva’s grace.