Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

कार्तिकेयलीलावर्णनम्

Narration of Kārttikeya’s Divine Play

Devanagari script

गुहस्तां शक्तिमादाय तच्छृंगं चारुरोह ह । तं जघान तया शक्त्या शृंगो भुवि पपात सः

Transliteration

guhastāṃ śaktimādāya tacchṛṃgaṃ cāruroha ha | taṃ jaghāna tayā śaktyā śṛṃgo bhuvi papāta saḥ

Translation

ثم أخذ غُها (كومارا/سكاندا) تلك الشَكتي وصعد سريعًا إلى القمّة. وبها نفسها ضربه فأرداه، فسقط شِرِنغا على الأرض.

Word by Word

• guhaḥ: Guha (Kārttikeya)
• guhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• tām: that (spear)
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• śaktim: spear/śakti
• śaktim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; in apposition to tām

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-dā (आ + दा धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), prior action

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; demonstrative used adjectivally with śṛṅgam

• śṛṅgam: peak/horn (mountain peak)
• śṛṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• āruroha: climbed/ascended
• āruroha: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-ruh (आ + रुह् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle (निपात)

• tam: him/it
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• jaghāna: struck/killed
• jaghāna: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (हन् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• tayā: with that
• tayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• śaktyā: with the spear
• śaktyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; instrument of action

• śṛṅgaḥ: the peak
• śṛṅgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• bhuvi: on the ground
• bhuvi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• papāta: fell
• papāta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (पत् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• saḥ: it/he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; refers to śṛṅgaḥ

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Guha (Kartikeya/Skanda)
• Śṛṅga

FAQs

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

The verse portrays Guha’s victory through śakti (divine power), symbolizing how obstacles fall when the soul acts with consecrated strength aligned to Shiva’s order (Pati’s grace), not mere egoic force.

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

Kumāra (Guha) functions as a saguna expression of Shiva’s protective power—devotees remember that the same Lord worshiped as the Linga manifests as divine agency that removes impediments and restores dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while visualizing Shiva’s śakti as inner resolve; offer a simple prayer for courage and dharma before daily duties, treating the ‘spear’ as disciplined awareness.