Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

अध्याय ५५ — बाणस्य पुनर्युद्धप्रवृत्तिः

Bāṇa’s Renewed Engagement in Battle

Devanagari script

जघान बाणं तरसा शार्ङ्गनिस्सृतसच्छरैः । अति तद्बलमत्युग्रं युगपत्स्मृतशंकरः

Transliteration

jaghāna bāṇaṃ tarasā śārṅganissṛtasaccharaiḥ | ati tadbalamatyugraṃ yugapatsmṛtaśaṃkaraḥ

Translation

Dann streckte er mit großer Geschwindigkeit Bāṇa mit den vortrefflichen Pfeilen nieder, die vom Bogen Śārṅga abgeschossen wurden. Obwohl Bāṇas Macht überaus grimmig war, wurde er gleichzeitig bezwungen – wobei Shiva in jenem Augenblick gedacht wurde.

Word by Word

• जघान: struck/killed
• जघान: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• बाणम्: Bāṇa (the demon)
• बाणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• तरसा: with force; swiftly
• तरसा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; तृतीया-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverbial instrumental: 'with force/rapidly')

• शार्ङ्ग-निस्सृत-सत्-शरैः: with the true arrows shot from Śārṅga
• शार्ङ्ग-निस्सृत-सत्-शरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + निस्√सृ (धातु) + सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन (plural); समासः: शार्ङ्गात् निस्सृताः सतः शराः (arrows truly/straightly issued from Śārṅga)

• अति: exceedingly
• अति: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; अतिशयार्थक (intensifier: 'exceedingly/very')

• तत्-बलम्: his strength
• तत्-बलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: तस्य बलम् (his strength)

• अति-उग्रम्: very fierce
• अति-उग्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारयः: अतिशयेन उग्रम् (very fierce)

• युगपत्: simultaneously
• युगपत्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: युगपत् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/रीति-अव्यय (adverb of simultaneity)

• स्मृत-शंकरः: Śaṅkara, being remembered
• स्मृत-शंकरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (singular); समासः: स्मृतः शंकरः (Śaṅkara who was remembered/called to mind)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Implicit teaching: smaraṇa (remembrance) of Śaṅkara grants immediate protection and victory over overwhelming adversity.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Bana

FAQs

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

The verse highlights smaraṇa-bhakti—remembering Śaṅkara—as a decisive spiritual force: even overwhelming, violent power is checked when Shiva is truly remembered, indicating that grace (anugraha) surpasses mere strength.

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

“Smṛta-Śaṅkara” points to Saguna Shiva’s accessible compassion: devotees who hold Shiva in mind—often through Linga worship and mantra—receive protection and restraint of destructive forces in life and within the ego.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Shiva-smaraṇa through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and steady dhyāna on the Linga; in moments of fear or agitation, immediate remembrance is presented as the quickest refuge.