Shiva Purana — Satarudra Samhita, Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

युष्माकञ्चेत्स हि मदो जानतां स्वबलम्महत् । मत्स्थापितं तृणमिदं छिन्त स्वास्त्रैश्च तैस्सुराः

Transliteration

yuṣmākañcetsa hi mado jānatāṃ svabalammahat | matsthāpitaṃ tṛṇamidaṃ chinta svāstraiśca taissurāḥ

Translation

若这傲慢真属你们，自知自力广大——诸天啊，就用你们自己的兵器，斩断我置于此处的这一叶微草。

Word by Word

• yuṣmākam: of you
• yuṣmākam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; 'of you (all)'

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक-निपात (conditional particle)

• saḥ: that (pride)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/indeed)

• madaḥ: pride
• madaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'pride/intoxication'

• jānatām: of those who know
• jānatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु) + śatṛ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? (contextual), षष्ठी (Genitive) बहुवचन; 'of those who know'

• sva-balam: one's own strength
• sva-balam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'own' + 'strength'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• mahat: great
• mahat: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'great' (agreeing with balam)

• mat-sthāpitam: placed by me
• mat-sthāpitam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम) + sthāpita (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी/locative sense: 'placed by/in me' in usage); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with tṛṇam idam)

• tṛṇam: a blade of grass
• tṛṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Demonstrative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'this'

• chinta: cut
• chinta: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chid (छिद्) (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; 'cut!'

• sva-astraiḥ: with your own weapons
• sva-astraiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'own weapons'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction 'and')

• taiḥ: with those
• taiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; 'with those (weapons)' (referring back)

• surāḥ: O gods
• surāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; vocative sense in address possible

Speaker

Lord Shiva (as the supreme Rudra testing the devas' pride)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that deva-like power and weapons cannot overcome even the smallest thing when the Supreme Lord (Pati, Shiva) wills otherwise; it is a direct correction of pride (mada) and a call to humility and surrender.

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

Like the Linga—seemingly simple yet immeasurable—this ‘blade of grass’ becomes invincible by Shiva’s presence, showing that Saguna Shiva’s manifest sign can contain infinite, transcendent power beyond the reach of mere force.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is ego-offering (ahaṅkāra-tyāga) through japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” accompanied by a humble attitude in worship (optionally with Tripuṇḍra bhasma and Rudrāksha as reminders of surrender).