Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7
देवदैत्यसामान्ययुद्धवर्णनम् — Description of the General Battle Between Devas and Daityas
एतस्मिन्नंतरे तत्र वीरभद्रो रुषान्वितः । आससाद गणैर्वीरैस्तारकं वीरमानिनम्
etasminnaṃtare tatra vīrabhadro ruṣānvitaḥ | āsasāda gaṇairvīraistārakaṃ vīramāninam
Da, in jenem Augenblick, trat Vīrabhadra—von gerechtem Zorn erfüllt—vor, begleitet von seinen tapferen Gaṇas, und stellte sich Tāraka entgegen, der auf sein Heldentum stolz war.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra
FAQs
It portrays how egoic pride (vīra-māna) is challenged by Śiva’s dharmic power: Vīrabhadra and the Gaṇas represent the Lord’s grace and discipline that dismantle arrogance and restore cosmic order.
Vīrabhadra is a Saguna expression of Śiva’s protective and corrective force; worship of the Liṅga trains the devotee in surrender so that divine energy, like the Gaṇas here, subdues inner hostility and pride.
A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and a prayer for removal of anger and pride, aligning one’s will with Śiva’s dharma.