Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 12
शङ्खचूडकस्य राज्याभिषेकः तथा शक्रपुरीं प्रति प्रस्थानम् | Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Coronation and March toward Indra’s City
आगच्छंतं शङ्खचूडमाकर्ण्याखण्डलस्स्वराट् । निखिलैरमरैस्सार्द्धं तेन योद्धुं समुद्यतः
āgacchaṃtaṃ śaṅkhacūḍamākarṇyākhaṇḍalassvarāṭ | nikhilairamaraissārddhaṃ tena yoddhuṃ samudyataḥ
Als er vernahm, dass Śaṅkhacūḍa herannahe, rüstete sich Akhaṇḍala (Indra), der Herrscher der Devas, zusammen mit allen Göttern, um ihn im Kampf zu stellen.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
It portrays the cosmic duty of the devas to defend dharma when adharma rises; in Shaiva understanding, such conflicts ultimately point to the need for Shiva’s higher governance, since worldly power alone cannot secure lasting peace.
Though the verse describes martial readiness, the Yuddhakhaṇḍa narrative repeatedly implies that even Indra’s sovereignty is limited; devotion to Saguna Shiva (often through Linga worship) is the stabilizing refuge that restores order beyond mere force.
As a practical takeaway, one may take refuge in japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” for courage and clarity, and perform Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) application as a reminder that ego and fear must be reduced to ash.