Shloka 24

यक्षेश्वरावतारः (Yakṣeśvara-Avatāra) and the Nīlakaṇṭha Paradigm in the Churning of the Ocean

Devanagari script

यक्षेश्वर उवाच । हे सुरा निखिला यूयं मद्वचश्शृणुतादरात् । यथार्थं वच्मि नासत्यं सर्वगर्वापहारकम्

Transliteration

yakṣeśvara uvāca | he surā nikhilā yūyaṃ madvacaśśṛṇutādarāt | yathārthaṃ vacmi nāsatyaṃ sarvagarvāpahārakam

Translation

یَکشیشور نے فرمایا—اے تمام دیوتاؤ، میرے کلمات کو ادب سے سنو۔ میں حقیقت کہتا ہوں، جھوٹ نہیں؛ یہ کلام ہر طرح کے غرور کو مٹا دینے والا ہے۔

Word by Word

• yakṣeśvaraḥ: Lord of Yakshas
• yakṣeśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yakṣa + īśvara (यक्ष + ईश्वर)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच्)
• Form: Lit Lakara (Perfect), 3rd Person, Singular

• he: O
• he: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: he (हे)
• Form: Interjection

• surāḥ: gods
• surāḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (सुर)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Plural

• nikhilāḥ: all
• nikhilāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nikhila (निखिल)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Plural

• yūyam: you all
• yūyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (युष्मद्)
• Form: Second Person Pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• madvacaḥ: my words
• madvacaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad + vacas (मद् + वचस्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• śṛṇuta: listen
• śṛṇuta: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु)
• Form: Lot Lakara (Imperative), 2nd Person, Plural

• ādarāt: with respect
• ādarāt: Hetu (Cause/Manner/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādara (आदर)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• yathārtham: truthfully
• yathārtham: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā + artha (यथा + अर्थ)
• Form: Adverb

• vacmi: I speak
• vacmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच्)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), 1st Person, Singular

• na: not
• na: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: Negation

• asatyam: untruth
• asatyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a + satya (अ + सत्य)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• sarvagarvāpahārakam: destroyer of all pride
• sarvagarvāpahārakam: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + garva + apahāraka (सर्व + गर्व + अपहारक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

Speaker

Yaksheshvara (Lord of the Yakshas)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse elevates satya (truthfulness) and humility as spiritual disciplines: speech aligned with truth becomes a means to dissolve garva (ego), which in Shaiva Siddhanta corresponds to the anava-impurity that binds the soul away from Shiva.

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

Linga-worship is not merely external ritual; it is inner purification. By emphasizing truth that removes pride, the verse points to the bhava (inner attitude) required for Saguna Shiva devotion—approaching the Linga with reverence, sincerity, and ego-surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is satya-vākya (truthful speech) as daily vrata, paired with humble japa of Shiva’s name (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), offered with the intention of reducing ego rather than increasing status.