Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

रुद्रस्य रणप्रवेशः तथा दैत्यगणानां बाणवृष्टिः

Rudra Enters the Battlefield; the Daityas’ Arrow-Storm

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । इत्युक्त्वा बाण सप्तत्या जघान वृषभध्वजम् । जलंधरो महादैत्यश्शंभुमक्लिष्टकारिणम्

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | ityuktvā bāṇa saptatyā jaghāna vṛṣabhadhvajam | jalaṃdharo mahādaityaśśaṃbhumakliṣṭakāriṇam

Translation

সনৎকুমার বললেন—এ কথা বলে মহাদৈত্য জলন্ধর বৃষভধ্বজ, অক্লিষ্ট-কৰ্তা শম্ভুকে সত্তরটি বাণের বর্ষণে আঘাত করল।

Word by Word

• सनत्कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमारः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• इति: thus
• इति: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having spoken
• उक्त्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) — ‘having said’

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सप्तत्या: by seventy (arrows)
• सप्तत्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument) — measure/number with instrument
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular) — संख्या (numeral noun) ‘seventy’

• जघान: struck/slew
• जघान: क्रिया (Kriyā/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• वृषभ-ध्वजम्: Śiva (bull-bannered)
• वृषभ-ध्वजम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular) — बहुव्रीहि: ‘वृषभः ध्वजः यस्य’ (he whose banner is the bull) = Śiva

• जलंधरः: Jalandhara
• जलंधरः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject) — understood for जघान
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलंधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• महा-दैत्यः: the great demon
• महा-दैत्यः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject) — apposition to जलंधरः
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) — कर्मधारय: ‘महान् दैत्यः’

• शंभुम्: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) — apposition to वृषभध्वजम्
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अक्लिष्ट-कारिणम्: the untroubled doer (unwearied one)
• अक्लिष्ट-कारिणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्लिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular) — उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ: ‘अक्लिष्टं करोति’/‘अक्लिष्टः कारिन्’ = one who acts without affliction; qualifies शंभुम्

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Jalandhara
• Shiva (Śambhu)
• Vrishabha-dhvaja (Shiva as bull-bannered Lord)

FAQs

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

Even when attacked, Śiva is described as “akliṣṭa-kāriṇam”—the Lord who remains untouched by affliction. The verse highlights the Shaiva Siddhanta insight that Pati (Śiva) is never bound by kleshas, while beings bound by ego and hostility act out their limitation.

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

The narrative portrays Saguna Śiva (Śambhu, Vṛṣabhadhvaja) in divine play, yet His inner nature remains unshaken. Linga-worship trains the devotee to see beyond outward events to the Lord’s steady, auspicious presence that is unaffected by conflict.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as “Śambhu” and “Akliṣṭa”—untroubled and auspicious—while japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya). As a simple ritual support, apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and cultivate inner steadiness amid life’s ‘arrows’ (disturbances).