[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Meaning of a word in Shivanamavalyashtakam

[V Subrahmanian]

On Sat, Apr 12, 2025 at 11:01 AM Ravindra Shivde <ravishivde at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Humble pranaam's to all Advaitins,
>
> The famous hymn to Shiva, शिवनामावल्याष्टकम् composed by Bhagwan Adi
> Shankara contains this line-
>
> भूताधिप प्रमथनाथ गिरीशचाप
> (Some versions write गिरीश and चाप separately. Others write जाप instead of
> चाप)
>
> In any case what does the word चाप mean? The dictionary meaning is 'a bow'
> धनुष्य, but it does not fit here.
>
> I shall be obliged if our learned members clear this doubt.
>

The AI generated reply, not certainly opposed to the Purana, etc.:  Mount
Meru is the GirIsha, the King of mountains. Sometimes the King of mountains
will be the Himalayas. But in this case it is Meru.  The context is Tripura
samhara:

In the legend of Shiva's destruction of Tripura, the mountain used as a bow
is Mount Meru, and the arrow that destroyed the three cities was Lord
Vishnu. The bowstring was the serpent Vasuki, and the arrowhead was Agni,
the fire god.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:

   - *Mount Meru as the Bow:*
   Mount Meru, the mythical mountain considered the center of the universe,
   was used as the body of the bow.
   - *Lord Vishnu as the Arrow:*
   Lord Vishnu, one of the primary deities in Hinduism, served as the arrow
   that pierced and destroyed the three cities.
   - *Vasuki as the Bowstring:*
   The serpent Vasuki, often depicted as a large, multi-headed serpent, was
   the bowstring of Shiva's bow.
   - *Agni as the Arrowhead:*
   Agni, the fire god, is said to have been the arrowhead that burned the
   three cities.

This celestial weaponry, with Mount Meru as the bow, Lord Vishnu as the
arrow, Vasuki as the bowstring, and Agni as the arrowhead, was used by
Shiva to destroy the three cities of Tripura, a feat that earned him the
name Tripurantaka (the destroyer of Tripura).

regards
subbu

>
>
> Yours
>
> Dr Ravindra S. Shivde
> Shivde Hospital, Old Pandit Colony, Nashik 422002
> Mobile: 9823053441 E:Mail- ravishivde at gmail.com
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