Shloka 18

Yatinātha-līlā: Śiva’s Test of the Bhilla Devotees at Arbuda Mountain

Devanagari script

एवं यत्नं प्रकुर्वाण स भिल्लो बलवानपि । प्रारब्धात्प्रेरितैर्हिंस्रैर्बलादासीच्च भक्षितः

Transliteration

evaṃ yatnaṃ prakurvāṇa sa bhillo balavānapi | prārabdhātpreritairhiṃsrairbalādāsīcca bhakṣitaḥ

Translation

Dẫu đang gắng sức như thế, người thợ săn ấy—tuy mạnh mẽ—vẫn bị bầy thú dữ, bị thúc đẩy bởi chính prārabdha (nghiệp chín muồi) của mình, xông tới cưỡng bức và nuốt chửng.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रकुर्वाणः: making, undertaking
• प्रकुर्वाणः: कर्ता (Agent as participial subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with ‘स भिल्लः’

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भिल्लः: the Bhilla (tribal man)
• भिल्लः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिल्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बलवान्: strong
• बलवान्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; adjective qualifying ‘भिल्लः’

• अपि: even, though
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); concessive ‘even/though’

• प्रारब्धात्: from destiny/from what had begun
• प्रारब्धात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रारब्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; ablative ‘from (what is) begun/fate’

• प्रेरितैः: impelled, driven
• प्रेरितैः: करण-विशेषण (Qualifier of instrument/agent group)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+ईर्/इर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle/कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; qualifies ‘हिंस्रैः’

• हिंस्रैः: by violent (beasts)
• हिंस्रैः: करण/कर्ता-सहायक (Instrumental agent group)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिंस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘by violent (ones)’

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: हेतु/रीति (Cause/Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; ablative used adverbially ‘by force/forcibly’

• आसीत्: was, became
• आसीत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भक्षितः: eaten, devoured
• भक्षितः: विधेय (Predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicative with ‘आसीत्’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Kālāntaka

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Prārabdha-karma explicitly named as the impelling force—illustrating pāśa (bondage) operating as niyati/karma that culminates in death.

FAQs

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

It highlights the binding force of prārabdha—karma already ripened—showing that mere worldly strength cannot override karmic fruition; liberation ultimately depends on turning to Pati (Śiva) and transcending pāśa (bondage).

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

The verse underscores human helplessness before karmic momentum, implying the need for refuge in Saguna Śiva through Linga-worship and devotion, by which grace (anugraha) loosens karmic bonds and redirects the soul toward mokṣa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady Shiva-upāsanā—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and simple Linga-pūjā with devotion—seeking Śiva’s grace to endure prārabdha with detachment and move toward liberation.