Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27
त्रिपुरदाहवर्णनम् | Tripura-dāha-varṇanam
Description of the Burning of Tripura
ददाह त्रिपुरस्थास्तान्दैत्यांस्त्रीन्विमलापहः । स आशुगो विष्णुमयो वह्निशल्यो महाज्वलन्
dadāha tripurasthāstāndaityāṃstrīnvimalāpahaḥ | sa āśugo viṣṇumayo vahniśalyo mahājvalan
Dann verbrannte jene makellose, sündenvertilgende Macht die drei Daityas, die in Tripura wohnten. Schnell dahinschießend und von Viṣṇus Kraft durchdrungen, wurde sie zu einem feuergespitzten Geschoss, das gewaltig loderte.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Tripurāntaka
Sthala Purana: The missile burns the three Tripura-dwelling daityas; notably it is described as ‘viṣṇumaya’—pervaded by Viṣṇu—reflecting Purāṇic integration where devas become instruments within Śiva’s act, while Śiva remains the sovereign agent of saṃhāra.
Significance: Seen as assurance that all divine powers harmonize under Śiva’s command for the destruction of adharma; contemplation is said to cleanse impurities (mala) and remove sin (pāpa) through remembrance of the ‘vimalāpaha’ power.
FAQs
Tripura represents entrenched impurity and bondage; the verse shows how Shiva’s purifying power (remover of mala) burns the root of demonic tendencies, pointing to liberation through divine grace rather than mere human effort.
The blazing, sin-destroying force symbolizes Saguna Shiva’s active grace—worship of the Liṅga invokes the same purifying presence that destroys inner Tripura (ego, desire, and delusion) and restores dharma.
Contemplate Shiva as vimalāpaha (remover of impurity) while doing japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”; on Mahāśivarātri, combine it with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) application and focused meditation on burning inner vices.