Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

देव-गण-समरः

Devas and Śiva’s Gaṇas Engage in Battle

Devanagari script

वृषभस्थान् पुरस्कृत्य स्वयं चैव महाबलः । महात्रिशूलमादाय पातयामास निर्जरान्

Transliteration

vṛṣabhasthān puraskṛtya svayaṃ caiva mahābalaḥ | mahātriśūlamādāya pātayāmāsa nirjarān

Translation

قدّم الذين يركبون الثيران في المقدّمة، ثم هو نفسه—ذو القوة العظمى—أخذ الرمح الثلاثي العظيم وضرب به فأسقط السماويين الخالدين.

Word by Word

• वृषभस्थान्: those on/with the bull (Nandin)
• वृषभस्थान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ-स्थान (प्रातिपदिक; वृषभ + स्थान)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘वृषभस्य स्थानम्’/‘bull-mount/seat’), here ‘those stationed on/with the bull’ (contextual)

• पुरस्कृत्य: having put in front
• पुरस्कृत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस्+कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having placed in front/having put forward’

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वयम्-शब्दः, अव्यय (adverb), ‘oneself’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• महाबलः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक; महा + बल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘महद् बलम् यस्य’/‘great-strong’), विशेषण (of Vīrabhadra)

• महात्रिशूलम्: the great trident
• महात्रिशूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्रिशूल (प्रातिपदिक; महा + त्रिशूल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘महद् त्रिशूलम्’)

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having taken up’

• पातयामास: struck down/caused to fall
• पातयामास: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) [णिच् causative: पातय]
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) ‘caused to fall/struck down’

• निर्जरान्: the gods (immortals)
• निर्जरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्जर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi
• Devas

FAQs

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

It highlights Pati (Shiva) as the supreme Lord whose power surpasses even the ‘deathless’ Devas; all limited beings fall when confronted with the Lord’s sovereign will, urging humility and surrender.

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

The ‘great trident’ is a Saguna emblem of Shiva’s active grace and control over the threefold bondage; Linga-worship internalizes this truth—Shiva is the transcendent Pati who can subdue all cosmic forces and free the soul.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as Trishula-dhārin (bearer of the trident) while repeating the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating surrender and inner detachment from the threefold impurities (āṇava, karma, māyā).