Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 42
त्रिपुरदाहवर्णनम् | Tripura-dāha-varṇanam
Description of the Burning of Tripura
तस्माद्यत्नस्सुसंभाव्यः सद्भिः कर्तव्य एव हि । गर्हणात्क्षीयते लोको न तत्कर्म समाचरेत्
tasmādyatnassusaṃbhāvyaḥ sadbhiḥ kartavya eva hi | garhaṇātkṣīyate loko na tatkarma samācaret
فلذلك ينبغي للأخيار أن يباشروا جهدًا مُحكَمَ النظر لا غير؛ فإن منزلة المرء في العالم تَذْهَبُ بنقصانها بسبب اللوم. لذا فلا يُقْدِمَنَّ أحدٌ على عملٍ يجلب التوبيخ.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages, conveying the ethical instruction embedded in the Yuddhakhaṇḍa narrative)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Sthala Purana: Ethical upadeśa within the war narrative: the ‘sat’ should act with well-weighed effort; blame diminishes one’s loka (standing). In Siddhānta, right conduct (ācāra) supports purification (mala-kṣaya) and receptivity to anugraha.
Significance: Promotes dharmic discipline as a preparatory limb for bhakti and jñāna; pilgrims are reminded that external worship must be matched by blameless conduct.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that a seeker should act with discernment and dharmic intention; blameworthy actions weaken one’s moral force and obstruct steadiness of mind, which is essential for Shiva-bhakti and liberation.
Linga-worship is not merely ritual but a discipline of conduct; honoring Saguna Shiva means aligning one’s actions with purity and restraint so that worship becomes worthy and inwardly transformative.
Adopt daily self-review before japa (especially Panchakshara—Om Namaḥ Śivāya), renouncing actions that invite censure; keep worship supported by clean conduct along with traditional aids like bhasma and rudrāksha where appropriate.