Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

देवदैत्यसामान्ययुद्धवर्णनम् — Description of the General Battle Between Devas and Daityas

Devanagari script

असद्गतिं प्राप्नुवन्ति तेषां च निरयो धुवम् । वीरभद्रो हि विज्ञेयो न वाच्यस्ते कदाचन

Transliteration

asadgatiṃ prāpnuvanti teṣāṃ ca nirayo dhuvam | vīrabhadro hi vijñeyo na vācyaste kadācana

Translation

Sie geraten auf einen bösen Pfad, und die Hölle ist für sie wahrlich gewiss. Wisse: Die hier wirkende Macht ist Vīrabhadra; darum soll man niemals, zu keiner Zeit, leichtfertig von ihm sprechen.

Word by Word

• असत्-गतिम्: a bad/evil destination
• असत्-गतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/2nd case), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (असतः गतिः)

• प्राप्नुवन्ति: they attain
• प्राप्नुवन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• निरयः: hell
• निरयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly / surely
• ध्रुवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially: ‘certainly’)

• वीरभद्रः: Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal)

• विज्ञेयः: to be known / should be recognized
• विज्ञेयः: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु) → विज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भविष्यत्कालिक-कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive/तव्यत्-अर्थ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• वाच्यः: to be spoken / to be mentioned
• वाच्यः: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) → वाच्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive/यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कदाचन: ever / at any time
• कदाचन: Kriyavisheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse warns that irreverence and wrong conduct lead to asadgati (spiritual downfall) and naraka, while affirming that Shiva’s fierce, protective justice operates through Vīrabhadra—teaching disciplined speech, humility, and fear of adharma.

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

Vīrabhadra represents Saguna Shiva’s active power that protects dharma and corrects arrogance; Linga-worship cultivates reverence toward all forms of Shiva, including fierce manifestations, preventing the disrespect and ego that cause downfall.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice restrained, truthful speech and daily Shiva-smaraṇa with Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") as an atonement and protection; maintain devotional reverence, optionally supported by bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as Shaiva disciplines.