Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 44

अन्धक-प्रश्नः — Inquiry into Andhaka

Genealogy and Nature

Devanagari script

घोणाप्रहारैर्विविधैर्धरित्रीं विदार्य पातालतलं प्रविश्य । तुंडेन दैत्याञ्शतशो विचूर्ण्य दंष्ट्राभिरग्र्याभि अखंडिताभिः

Transliteration

ghoṇāprahārairvividhairdharitrīṃ vidārya pātālatalaṃ praviśya | tuṃḍena daityāñśataśo vicūrṇya daṃṣṭrābhiragryābhi akhaṃḍitābhiḥ

Translation

Mit mannigfachen Schlägen seines Rüssels riss er die Erde auf und stürzte hinab in die Region von Pātāla. Dort zermalmte er mit seinem Schnabel Hunderte von Daityas zu Staub, und mit seinen erhabensten, unversehrten Hauern zerschmetterte er sie immer wieder.

Word by Word

• घोणा-प्रहारैः: with snout-blows
• घोणा-प्रहारैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घोणा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘घोणया प्रहारैः’ = blows with the snout)

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of ‘प्रहारैः’)

• धरित्रीम्: the earth
• धरित्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विदार्य: having split
• विदार्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विदॄ (धातु) → विदार्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having torn asunder’

• पाताल-तलम्: the floor/region of the netherworld
• पाताल-तलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘पातालस्य तलम्’)

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• प्रविश्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु) → प्रविश्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having entered’

• तुंडेन: with the beak/snout
• तुंडेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुंड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• दैत्यान्: demons
• दैत्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• शतशः: by the hundreds
• शतशः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशः (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (distributive adverb: ‘by hundreds’)

• विचूर्ण्य: having pulverized
• विचूर्ण्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चूर्ण् (धातु) → विचूर्ण्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having crushed to powder’

• दंष्ट्राभिः: with tusks
• दंष्ट्राभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अग्र्याभिः: excellent, foremost
• अग्र्याभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of ‘दंष्ट्राभिः’)

• अखण्डिताभिः: unbroken, unshattered
• अखण्डिताभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखण्डित (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of ‘दंष्ट्राभिः’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: descent into Pātāla; chthonic battle imagery (netherworld incursion)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The descent into Pātāla and destruction of demons symbolizes Shiva’s grace entering even the darkest layers of bondage (pāśa) to crush adharma; for the devotee, it teaches that no realm of suffering is beyond the reach of Pati’s protection.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Shiva’s active, protective power in history and battle; Linga-worship anchors the mind in that same supreme reality, so the devotee remembers the formless essence through a sacred form and receives courage and steadiness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

In times of inner ‘demonic’ agitation, repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and rudrākṣa as supports, meditating on Shiva as the remover of fear and destroyer of adharma.