Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 42

शिवशङ्खचूडयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Battle between Śiva and Śaṅkhacūḍa

Devanagari script

क्षेत्रपालश्चखादान्यान्बहून्दैत्यान्क्रुधाकुलः । केचिन्नेशुर्भैरवास्त्रच्छिन्ना भिन्नास्तथापरे

Transliteration

kṣetrapālaścakhādānyānbahūndaityānkrudhākulaḥ | kecinneśurbhairavāstracchinnā bhinnāstathāpare

Translation

Dann verschlang Kshetrapala, von Zorn überwältigt, viele andere Daityas. Einige von ihnen kamen um, niedergestreckt durch die Bhairava-Waffe, während andere zerschmettert und vernichtet wurden.

Word by Word

• क्षेत्रपालः: Kṣetrapāla (guardian of the field/region)
• क्षेत्रपालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra-pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: क्षेत्रस्य पालः), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• चखाद: devoured/ate
• चखाद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खाद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• अन्यान्: others
• अन्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषण

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषण

• दैत्यान्: Daityas (demons)
• दैत्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.)

• क्रुधा: with anger
• क्रुधा: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krudhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg.)

• आकुलः: agitated/disturbed
• आकुलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• केचित्: some (of them)
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.)

• नेशुः: perished
• नेशुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्/नश्य् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (pl.), परस्मैपद

• भैरवास्त्र: by Bhairava’s weapon
• भैरवास्त्र: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhairava-astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भैरवस्य अस्त्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg.)

• छिन्नाः: cut down
• छिन्नाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषण

• भिन्नाः: split asunder
• भिन्नाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषण

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: likewise/so)

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Kālabhairava

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrapāla
• Bhairava
• Dāityas

FAQs

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

The verse depicts Shiva’s protective śakti operating through his attendant Kṣetrapāla: when adharma becomes violent, the Lord’s guardians remove it decisively. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, it points to Pati (Shiva) safeguarding dharma and subduing forces that bind beings in pasha (bondage).

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

Bhairava and Kṣetrapāla are Saguna expressions of Shiva’s guardianship around sacred space—mirroring how the Linga is approached with reverence and protection of purity. The ‘Bhairava-weapon’ underscores that the Linga is not merely symbolic but represents the living, active sovereignty of Shiva that dispels hostile negativity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is protective Bhairava-oriented japa and discipline: reciting the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with steadiness, maintaining ritual purity (including Tripuṇḍra/bhasma where appropriate), and cultivating fearlessness grounded in Shiva as the inner protector.