Shloka 31

Droṇācārya’s Tapas and the Manifestation of Śiva: The Birth-Grant of Aśvatthāmā (अश्वत्थामा-अवतार-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

मंस्था मा ह्येतदाश्चर्य्यं सर्वचित्रमये शिवे । यस्स्वशक्त्याखिलं विश्वं सृजत्यवति हन्त्यजः

Transliteration

maṃsthā mā hyetadāścaryyaṃ sarvacitramaye śive | yassvaśaktyākhilaṃ viśvaṃ sṛjatyavati hantyajaḥ

Translation

โอ้ลูกเอ๋ย อย่าถือว่านี่เป็นเรื่องอัศจรรย์เกี่ยวกับพระศิวะผู้เปี่ยมด้วยความวิจิตรทั้งปวง เพราะพระองค์ผู้ไม่บังเกิด (อชะ) ด้วยศักติของพระองค์เอง ทรงสร้างจักรวาลทั้งสิ้น ทรงค้ำจุน และทรงถอนกลับทำลายด้วย

Word by Word

• मंस्थाः: O churners / O (you) who churn (unclear vocative sense)
• मंस्थाः: Sambodhana/Prathama (सम्बोधन/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मंस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; nominative plural (addressing/mentioning)

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular ‘this’

• आश्चर्यम्: wonder/marvel
• आश्चर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular

• सर्वचित्रमये: in/with (one) made of all marvels
• सर्वचित्रमये: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + चित्र + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative singular; tatpuruṣa ‘consisting of all wondrous forms’

• शिवे: in Śiva
• शिवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative singular ‘in Śiva’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; relative pronoun ‘who’

• स्वशक्त्या: by his own power
• स्वशक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; instrumental singular; tatpuruṣa ‘by his own power’

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective qualifying ‘viśvam’

• विश्वम्: universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular

• सृजति: creates
• सृजति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; creates

• अवति: protects
• अवति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; protects

• हन्ति: destroys
• हन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; destroys

• अजः: the unborn (Lord)
• अजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular; epithet ‘unborn’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva (Pati) is not limited by the universe; through His own Shakti He performs creation, preservation, and dissolution, so divine manifestations should not be seen as mere “marvels” but as expressions of the Supreme Lord’s sovereignty.

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

The Linga and Saguna forms are gateways to recognize the same Unborn Shiva who governs all cosmic functions through Shakti; worship trains the devotee to see every form and event as arising from Shiva’s divine power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as aja (Unborn) and on His Shakti as the force behind sṛṣṭi–sthiti–saṁhāra; japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with this contemplation is the practical takeaway.