Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17

कैलासमार्गे शङ्करस्य परीक्षा — Śiva Tests the Approachers on the Kailāsa Path

Devanagari script

पुरंदरं वज्रहस्तं दृष्ट्वा देवस्सदाशिवः । चकार स्तंभनं तस्य वज्रपातस्य शंकरः

Transliteration

puraṃdaraṃ vajrahastaṃ dṛṣṭvā devassadāśivaḥ | cakāra staṃbhanaṃ tasya vajrapātasya śaṃkaraḥ

Translation

Als der Herr Sadāśiva—Śaṅkara—Purandara (Indra) mit dem Vajra in der Hand sah, hemmte er den Sturz des Vajra selbst und machte seine Wucht wirkungslos.

Word by Word

• पुरन्दरम्: Purandara (Indra)
• पुरन्दरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• वज्र-हस्तम्: having the thunderbolt in hand
• वज्र-हस्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वज्रः हस्ते यस्य)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); 'having seen'

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सदा-शिवः: Sadāśiva
• सदा-शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा (अव्यय) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सदा शिवः) रूढि-नाम

• चकार: did/made
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• स्तम्भनम्: stopping/paralysis
• स्तम्भनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• वज्र-पातस्य: of the thunderbolt-strike
• वज्र-पातस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वज्रस्य पातः)

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृपद (apposition to देवः/सदाशिवः)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya within the Rudra Saṃhitā’s Yuddhakhaṇḍa context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sadashiva
• Shankara
• Indra (Purandara)

FAQs

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

The verse shows Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) whose icchā-śakti can restrain even the mightiest cosmic force; it points to grace (anugraha) as the ultimate power that stills fear and restores dharma.

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

Śaṅkara’s visible act of “stopping” the vajra reflects Saguna Śiva’s compassionate lordship in history; Linga-worship trains the devotee to take refuge in that same ever-present Śiva who protects and governs all energies.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate inner stambhana (stillness) through japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of Śiva’s protective grace.