Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15
तारक-कुमार-युद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Battle between Tāraka and Kumāra
श्रुत्वा तदा तां गगने समीरितां वाचं शुभां सप्रमथेस्समावृतः । निहंतुकामः सुखितः कुमारको दैत्याधिपं तारकमाश्वभूत्तदा
śrutvā tadā tāṃ gagane samīritāṃ vācaṃ śubhāṃ sapramathessamāvṛtaḥ | nihaṃtukāmaḥ sukhitaḥ kumārako daityādhipaṃ tārakamāśvabhūttadā
فلما سمع كومارا تلك الكلمة المباركة تتردّد في السماء، وهو محاطٌ بالبراماثات، ابتهج وعزم على قتله؛ فانطلق في الحال نحو تارَكا، سيد الدانَفَة.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra
Cosmic Event: ākāśavāṇī as motivating omen
FAQs
The verse highlights divine sanction and dharmic resolve: when the auspicious heavenly command is heard, Kumāra acts as Śiva’s instrument to remove adharma (Tāraka), showing that grace (anugraha) also appears as the destruction of egoic, demonic obstruction.
Kumāra’s action is inseparable from Saguna Śiva’s governance: the Pramathas (Śiva’s gaṇas) surround him, indicating that the Lord’s manifested power protects the cosmic order; devotion to Śiva (often through Liṅga worship) aligns the devotee with this protecting, dharma-establishing current.
A practical takeaway is sankalpa with mantra: take a clear vow to overcome inner ‘Tāraka’ (pride, violence, delusion) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” optionally with vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as reminders of Śiva’s protection and discipline.