Shloka 27

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Meets Lord Śiva: Devotee as Living Tīrtha and the Lord’s Māyā

Devanagari script

स चिरं मायया विष्णोर्भ्रामित: कर्शितो भृशम् । शिववागमृतध्वस्तक्लेशपुञ्जस्तमब्रवीत् ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

sa ciraṁ māyayā viṣṇor bhrāmitaḥ karśito bhṛśam śiva-vāg-amṛta-dhvasta- kleśa-puñjas tam abravīt

Translation

విష్ణుమాయచే అతడు దీర్ఘకాలం ప్రళయజలంలో తిప్పబడుతూ అత్యంత శ్రమించాడు; కాని శివుని అమృతవాక్యాలు అతని కూడబెట్టిన క్లేశాన్ని నశింపజేశాయి. అప్పుడు అతడు శివునితో పలికెను।

Synonyms

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ciram: for long
• ciram: Kāla-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (काल-अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग) ‘for a long time’

• māyayā: by māyā
• māyayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• bhrāmitaḥ: deluded; made to roam
• bhrāmitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bhram (धातु)
• Form: Causative past passive participle (णिच् + क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘made to wander/deluded’

• karśitaḥ: afflicted
• karśitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛś (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘emaciated/afflicted’

• bhṛśam: greatly
• bhṛśam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhṛśam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘greatly’

• śiva-vāk-amṛta-dhvasta-kleśa-puñjaḥ: he whose heap of troubles was destroyed by Śiva’s nectar-like speech
• śiva-vāk-amṛta-dhvasta-kleśa-puñjaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + vāk (प्रातिपदिक) + amṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvasta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + kleśa (प्रातिपदिक) + puñja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहि—‘शिवस्य वाक् अमृतम्; तेन ध्वस्तः क्लेश-पुञ्जः यस्य’ = ‘whose mass of sufferings was destroyed by Śiva’s nectar-like words’

• tam: to him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• abravīt: spoke
• abravīt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

Purport

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi had desired to see Lord Viṣṇu’s illusory energy and had suffered extensive miseries. But now, in the person of Śiva, Lord Viṣṇu again appeared before the sage and relieved all his suffering by imparting blissful spiritual instructions.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śiva

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about being bewildered by Viṣṇu’s māyā?

This verse states that a person can wander and suffer for a long time under Viṣṇu’s māyā, but that suffering can be removed when one receives purifying, truth-bearing instructions from a great devotee like Śiva.

How do Śiva’s words help someone overcome distress in Bhagavatam 12.10?

The verse describes Śiva’s speech as “nectar-like,” capable of destroying a whole ‘heap’ of suffering—indicating that spiritually potent guidance (rooted in devotion and truth) can cut through confusion and misery.

Practical application: how can I reduce anxiety and confusion using this shloka’s teaching?

Seek authentic sādhus and scripture-based guidance, hear regularly with humility, and let that instruction reshape your choices—because right hearing (śravaṇa) is presented here as a direct remedy for accumulated distress.