Shloka 56
देव-गण-समरः
Devas and Śiva’s Gaṇas Engage in Battle
तथापि त्वं महाबाहो योद्धुकामोग्रतः स्थितः । नेष्यामि पुनरावृत्तिं यदि तिष्ठेस्त्वमात्मना
tathāpi tvaṃ mahābāho yoddhukāmogrataḥ sthitaḥ | neṣyāmi punarāvṛttiṃ yadi tiṣṭhestvamātmanā
Dennoch, o du mit mächtigen Armen—da du vor mir stehst, begierig zu kämpfen—wenn du aus eigenem Entschluss hier bleibst, werde ich dir keine Umkehr mehr gestatten.
Lord Shiva (Rudra)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Rudra
Sthala Purana: Śiva’s direct address in the Dakṣa-yajña conflict: the Lord confronts the challenger and declares an irreversible consequence—symbolizing the inescapability of divine ordinance once one enters opposition to Śiva.
Significance: Frames Śiva as the ultimate arbiter of return (nivṛtti) and bondage: turning back is not merely physical retreat but metaphysical release/withholding depending on divine will.
Role: liberating
FAQs
The verse highlights steadfast resolve (niścaya) before Pati (Shiva): when a being insists on a chosen course—especially one driven by confrontation—Shiva, as the regulator of karma, allows the consequence to unfold without retreat, urging inner responsibility rather than wavering.
In Saguna worship, Shiva is approached as the living Lord who responds to intention. This verse reflects that approach: the devotee (or challenger) stands ‘before’ Shiva, and Shiva acknowledges the stance—teaching that approaching the Linga requires humility and surrender, not combative ego.
A practical takeaway is sankalpa-śuddhi: before japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), reaffirm a vow to stand firm in dharma, apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of impermanence, and offer the impulse to ‘fight’ (ahaṅkāra) into Shiva’s presence through breath-aware japa.