Shloka 40

शारभावतारवर्णनम्

Account of Śiva’s Śārabha Manifestation and the Measureless Avatāras

Devanagari script

गतो मच्छरणं यस्तु तस्य दुःखं क्षयं गतम् । मत्प्रियः शरणापन्नः प्राणेभ्योऽपि न संशयः

Transliteration

gato maccharaṇaṃ yastu tasya duḥkhaṃ kṣayaṃ gatam | matpriyaḥ śaraṇāpannaḥ prāṇebhyo'pi na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

جو میری پناہ میں آ گیا، اس کا غم فنا ہو جاتا ہے۔ جو شَرَناغت ہو وہ مجھے جان سے بھی زیادہ عزیز ہے—اس میں کوئی شک نہیں۔

Word by Word

• gataḥ: (he who has) gone
• gataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु) > gata (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; adjectival participle meaning 'gone'

• mat-śaraṇam: to my refuge / my shelter
• mat-śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative) 'my refuge'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• duḥkham: sorrow
• duḥkham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• kṣayam: to destruction/end
• kṣayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'destruction/end' as goal-state

• gatam: has gone/has reached
• gatam: Kriya (क्रिया/भूतकृदन्त)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु) > gata (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; agrees with duḥkham

• mat-priyaḥ: dear to me
• mat-priyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष 'dear to me'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• śaraṇa-āpannaḥ: having taken refuge
• śaraṇa-āpannaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + √āp (धातु) > āpanna (कृदन्त)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष; 'having resorted to refuge'; āpanna = भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• prāṇebhyaḥ: than (his) lives
• prāṇebhyaḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General śaraṇāgati teaching: taking refuge in Śiva destroys duḥkha and grants fearlessness and closeness to the Lord.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva’s vow that sincere refuge in Him ends duḥkha at its root, because surrender aligns the soul (paśu) with the Lord (Pati) and loosens bondage (pāśa), leading toward grace and liberation.

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

Taking refuge in Shiva is practically expressed through Saguna worship—reverence to the Shiva Linga with faith and humility—where the devotee approaches Shiva as the compassionate Lord who accepts surrender and protects the surrendered.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice sharaṇāgati with japa of the Panchakshara mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and offer simple Linga-pūjā with devotion; the inner act is wholehearted surrender rather than mere external ritual.