Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 11
गिलासुर-आक्रमणम् तथा शिवसैन्य-समाह्वानम् — The Assault of Gila and Śiva’s Mobilization
तस्मिन्क्षणे युध्यमानाश्च सर्वे ब्रह्मेन्द्रविष्ण्वर्कशशांकमुख्याः । आसन्निगीर्णा विधसेन तेन सैन्ये निगीर्णेऽस्ति तु वीरको हि
tasminkṣaṇe yudhyamānāśca sarve brahmendraviṣṇvarkaśaśāṃkamukhyāḥ | āsannigīrṇā vidhasena tena sainye nigīrṇe'sti tu vīrako hi
In eben diesem Augenblick, als alle kämpften—Brahmā, Indra, Viṣṇu, Sonne, Mond und die übrigen erhabensten Götter—standen sie kurz davor, von jenem mächtigen Heer verschlungen zu werden. Als das Heer so verschlungen wurde, blieb nur der Held Vīraka übrig.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahadeva
FAQs
It highlights the limitation of even the greatest cosmic offices (Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Indra, Sun, Moon) when confronted with overwhelming power, implying that true refuge and victory ultimately depend on the Supreme Lord’s grace (anugraha), central to a Shaiva Siddhanta reading.
Such battle episodes commonly function as narrative preparation for turning toward Shiva as the accessible Saguna refuge—often culminating in praise, surrender, and worship (including Linga-oriented devotion) when other supports fail.
The implied takeaway is śaraṇāgati (surrender) supported by japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and steady remembrance of Shiva as the protector when worldly and celestial powers prove insufficient.