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

[H S Chandramouli]

Namaste.

जाप is understood to mean ** muttering prayers / a muttered prayer ?.

Seems to fit in here in the context.

Regards

On Sat, Apr 12, 2025 at 11:58 AM V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
wrote:

>
>
> 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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