Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 2
शुक्रनिग्रहः — The Seizure/Neutralization of Śukra (Kāvya) and the Daityas’ Despondency
सनत्कुमार उवाच । काव्ये निगीर्णे गिरिजेश्वरेण दैत्या जयाशारहिता बभूवुः । हस्तैर्विमुक्ता इव वारणेन्द्राः शृंगैर्विहीना इव गोवृषाश्च
sanatkumāra uvāca | kāvye nigīrṇe girijeśvareṇa daityā jayāśārahitā babhūvuḥ | hastairvimuktā iva vāraṇendrāḥ śṛṃgairvihīnā iva govṛṣāśca
Sanatkumāra sprach: Als Girijeśvara (Herr Śiva, der Herr der Girijā) Kāvyā (Śukrācārya) verschlungen hatte, wurden die Dāityas aller Hoffnung auf Sieg beraubt—wie königliche Elefanten ohne Rüssel und wie Stiere und Kühe ohne Hörner.
Sanatkumara
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
FAQs
The verse shows that when Śiva (Pati) withdraws the support that empowers adharma, worldly strength and strategy collapse. From a Śaiva Siddhānta lens, victory is not merely force but alignment with dharma and Śiva’s grace; without it, the bound soul (paśu) remains powerless against the bonds (pāśa) of pride and delusion.
Girijeśvara’s decisive act portrays Saguna Śiva as the active Lord who protects cosmic order. Linga-worship similarly approaches Śiva as the accessible, compassionate Pati who can restrain hostile tendencies and remove the supports of adharma, turning the devotee toward refuge and surrender.
A practical takeaway is śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) through japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and steady worship with vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) as a reminder that all power is transient without Śiva’s grace. The verse encourages humility and devotion rather than reliance on mere tactics.