Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

लिङ्गप्रतिष्ठा-माहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of Liṅga Installation

Devanagari script

कस्त्वं वदेत्यमर्षेण प्रहृत्योत्थाप्य माधवम् । स तु हस्तप्रहारेण तीव्रेणाभिहतः क्षणात्

Transliteration

kastvaṃ vadetyamarṣeṇa prahṛtyotthāpya mādhavam | sa tu hastaprahāreṇa tīvreṇābhihataḥ kṣaṇāt

Translation

他怒而以手击打摩陀婆，将其拽起高喝：“你是谁？”然而顷刻之间，摩陀婆便被那凶猛的掌击所重创。

Word by Word

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; interrogative pronoun

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Second person pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vadeti: says
• vadeti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular; used in quotation sense ‘(he) says’

• amarṣeṇa: with anger/indignation
• amarṣeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amarṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• prahṛtya: having struck
• prahṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal form (अव्ययभाव)

• utthāpya: having roused/raised up
• utthāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal form (अव्ययभाव)

• mādhavam: Mādhava (Viṣṇu)
• mādhavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; pronoun referring to Brahmā

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis

• hastaprahāreṇa: by a blow of the hand
• hastaprahāreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta + prahāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘blow (prahāra) with the hand (hasta)’

• tīvreṇa: violent/intense
• tīvreṇa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīvra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; adjective qualifying hastaprahāreṇa

• abhihataḥ: was struck
• abhihataḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-√han (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; past passive participle; predicate of saḥ

• kṣaṇāt: in an instant/immediately
• kṣaṇāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; used adverbially ‘immediately’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Madhava)

FAQs

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

It portrays how anger and ego erupt even in exalted beings, and how sudden reversals in power remind the seeker that true sovereignty belongs to the Supreme Lord (Pati), before whom humility and surrender are the Shaiva path.

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

The episode’s shock and immediacy mirrors the Purana’s teaching that Saguna Shiva is not merely an idea but a present Lord who checks pride; Linga-worship trains the mind to bow to that living sovereignty rather than to personal power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter anger with japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a brief pause in awareness; in ritual life, approaching Shiva with Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and restrained speech emphasizes humility over impulsive force.