Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

गणेश-वाक्यं तथा गणानां समर-सन्नाहः | Gaṇeśa’s Challenge and the Mustering of the Gaṇas

Devanagari script

बलवद्बालयुद्धं च भवानीशिव पक्षयोः । भवद्भिश्च कृतं युद्धं पूर्वं युद्धविशारदैः

Transliteration

balavadbālayuddhaṃ ca bhavānīśiva pakṣayoḥ | bhavadbhiśca kṛtaṃ yuddhaṃ pūrvaṃ yuddhaviśāradaiḥ

Translation

Ein heftiger und doch kindlich anmutender Kampf erhob sich zwischen den beiden Seiten — der Bhavānīs und der Śivas. Wahrlich, ihr selbst, kampferprobte Meister des Krieges, habt einst schon einen solchen Krieg geführt.

Word by Word

• बलवत्: powerful
• बलवत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• बालयुद्धम्: a childish fight
• बालयुद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• भवानीशिवपक्षयोः: of the two sides (of Bhavānī and Śiva)
• भवानीशिवपक्षयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवानी (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन (Genitive/Locative dual); here षष्ठी द्विवचन (of the two sides)

• भवद्भिः: by you (respected ones)
• भवद्भिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (plural); आदरसूचक सर्वनाम (honorific pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• कृतम्: done / made
• कृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• पूर्वम्: formerly / earlier
• पूर्वम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे प्रयोगः; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• युद्धविशारदैः: by those skilled in battle
• युद्धविशारदैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + विशारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण (adjective)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Bhavānī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati (Bhavani)

FAQs

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

The verse frames conflict as “bāla-yuddha” (a play-like struggle) within the divine sphere of Śiva and Bhavānī, pointing devotees toward seeing worldly oppositions as secondary to the Lord’s grace and the soul’s return to Pati (Śiva).

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

By emphasizing Śiva’s accessible, narrative form (Saguṇa) acting within līlā, it supports devotional worship—where the Liṅga is revered as the steady, transcendent focus even when stories depict dynamic events and seeming opposition.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind with japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—so that agitation from conflict is transformed into devotion and inner composure.