Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28

अध्याय ५५ — बाणस्य पुनर्युद्धप्रवृत्तिः

Bāṇa’s Renewed Engagement in Battle

Devanagari script

एवं द्वयोश्चिरं काल बभूव सुमहान्रणः । शिवरूपो हरिः कृष्णः स च शैवोत्तमो बली

Transliteration

evaṃ dvayościraṃ kāla babhūva sumahānraṇaḥ | śivarūpo hariḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sa ca śaivottamo balī

Translation

So währte lange Zeit ein überaus gewaltiger Kampf zwischen den beiden. Hari — Kṛṣṇa — erschien in Gestalt und Hoheit Śivas und trat hervor als ein höchster Śaiva in Hingabe und ein mächtiger Krieger.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• द्वयोः: of the two
• द्वयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), द्विवचन; ‘of the two’

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kālādhi-kriyāviśeṣaṇa (कालाधिक-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘for long’

• कालम्: time (duration)
• कालम्: Kālādhi-kriyāviśeṣaṇa (कालाधिक-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; काल-अत्यन्तसंयोग (accusative of duration)

• बभूव: there was, became
• बभूव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सु-महान्: very great
• सु-महान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: ‘सु’ + ‘महान्’ = very great

• रणः: battle
• रणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिव-रूपः: having Shiva’s form
• शिव-रूपः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘शिवस्य रूपम् यस्य’ (having Shiva’s form)

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृष्णः: Krishna
• कृष्णः: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to हरिः

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शैव-उत्तमः: best of Shiva-devotees
• शैव-उत्तमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘शैवानाम् उत्तमः’ (best among Shaivas)

• बली: strong
• बली: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘बलिन्’ (possessing strength)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Hari

FAQs

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

It highlights Hari-Hara unity: even Hari (Kṛṣṇa) manifests with Śiva’s majesty and is praised as a foremost Śaiva, teaching that true greatness culminates in devotion to Pati (Śiva) and alignment with His will.

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

By calling Kṛṣṇa “śiva-rūpa,” the text affirms Saguna Śiva’s manifest power and presence—devotees may worship Śiva through the Liṅga as the accessible form of that supreme reality, which even the gods honor.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to cultivate Śiva-bhakti as the highest strength: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa supports steadiness and devotion amid life’s inner ‘battle.’