Shloka 41

Vṛṣeśākhya-Śivāvatāra and the Initiation of the Kṣīrasāgara-Manthana

Churning of the Milk Ocean

Devanagari script

युद्धं बभूव देवानामसुरैस्सह भीकरम् । देवासुराख्यमतुलं प्रसिद्धं भुवनत्रये

Transliteration

yuddhaṃ babhūva devānāmasuraissaha bhīkaram | devāsurākhyamatulaṃ prasiddhaṃ bhuvanatraye

Translation

युद्धं बभूव देवानामसुरैः सह भीकरम् । देवासुराख्यमतुलं प्रसिद्धं भुवनत्रये ॥

Word by Word

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता-पद), एकवचन

• बभूव: became; occurred
• बभूव: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• असुरैः: with the demons
• असुरैः: सहकारक/सह (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण-सह), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: सह (Association marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-निपात (preposition/particle ‘with’)

• भीकरम्: terrible
• भीकरम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘युद्धम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• देवासुराख्यम्: called ‘gods-and-demons’ (Deva–Asura)
• देवासुराख्यम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘देवाः च असुराः च’ इत्यस्य आख्या/नाम यस्य; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘युद्धम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अतुलम्: incomparable
• अतुलम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• प्रसिद्धम्: well-known
• प्रसिद्धम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसिद्ध (कृदन्त, √सिध् + प्र)
• Form: भूतकालिक कृदन्त (PPP/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भुवनत्रये: in the three worlds
• भुवनत्रये: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: ‘त्रीणि भुवनानि’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Asuras

FAQs

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

It frames the Deva–Asura conflict as a cosmic mirror of inner struggle—dharma versus adharma—implying that beings need the stabilizing grace of Pati (Lord Shiva) to transcend fear and turbulence.

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

When the three worlds are shaken by conflict, Saguna Shiva is approached as the accessible refuge; Linga-worship signifies turning from external chaos to the steady, all-pervading Lord who upholds order and grants protection.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as supports for fearlessness and mental steadiness amid conflict.