Shloka 26

Vṛṣeśākhya-Śivāvatāra and the Initiation of the Kṣīrasāgara-Manthana

Churning of the Milk Ocean

Devanagari script

कालकूटं शशांकं च देवत्राणाय शंकरः । स्वकण्ठे धृतवाञ्छम्भुस्स्वेच्छया भक्तवत्सलः

Transliteration

kālakūṭaṃ śaśāṃkaṃ ca devatrāṇāya śaṃkaraḥ | svakaṇṭhe dhṛtavāñchambhussvecchayā bhaktavatsalaḥ

Translation

เพื่อคุ้มครองเหล่าเทพ พระศังกร—พระศัมภูผู้เอ็นดูผู้ภักดี—ทรงยอมด้วยพระประสงค์เอง กลืนพิษกาลกูฏไว้ที่พระศอ และทรงรับพระจันทร์ไว้ด้วย

Word by Word

• काल-कूटम्: Kālakūṭa poison
• काल-कूटम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• शशाङ्कम्: the moon
• शशाङ्कम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशाङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• देव-त्राणाय: for the protection of the gods
• देव-त्राणाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + त्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative); एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• स्व-कण्ठे: in his own throat
• स्व-कण्ठे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन; अधिकरण

• धृतवान्: held, bore
• धृतवान्: क्रिया/कर्ता-विशेषण (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग

• शम्भुः: Śambhu
• शम्भुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; शंकरस्य अप्पोज़िशन

• स्व-इच्छया: by his own will
• स्व-इच्छया: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचन; हेतौ/करणे

• भक्त-वत्सलः: affectionate to devotees
• भक्त-वत्सलः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying Śaṅkara/Śambhu)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga-specific passage; it recalls the halāhala episode where Śiva, by svātantrya (free will), contains the poison to protect devas and the cosmos, becoming Nīlakaṇṭha.

Significance: Contemplation of Nīlakaṇṭha fosters śaraṇāgati (refuge) and trust in Śiva’s rakṣaṇa (protective grace) amid विष (toxicity) of saṃsāra.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Samudra-manthana crisis: emergence of Kālakūṭa/halāhala; Śiva’s containment of poison in the throat; moon-bearing iconography (candraśekhara) affirmed.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Shambhu
• Devas
• Chandra

FAQs

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

It reveals Śiva as Pati—the sovereign Lord whose compassion protects the cosmos: He accepts the world’s poison into Himself, showing that divine grace can transmute suffering into protection and auspiciousness.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Śiva’s accessible, personal form—Neelakaṇṭha bearing poison and the moon—encouraging devotees to worship the Liṅga as the living presence of that same protective, devotee-loving Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Neelakaṇṭha while chanting the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” offering water or milk to the Liṅga with the intention of inner purification and protection from negative tendencies (viṣa) within.