Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 36

अध्याय ५५ — बाणस्य पुनर्युद्धप्रवृत्तिः

Bāṇa’s Renewed Engagement in Battle

Devanagari script

दधीचे रावणे वीरे तारकादिपुरेष्वपि । विना मदाज्ञां लक्ष्मीश रथाङ्गं नामुचः पुरा

Transliteration

dadhīce rāvaṇe vīre tārakādipureṣvapi | vinā madājñāṃ lakṣmīśa rathāṅgaṃ nāmucaḥ purā

Translation

„O Herr der Lakṣmī, selbst gegen den heldenhaften Rāvaṇa, selbst in Städten wie denen Tārakās, wurde der Diskus (Sudarśana) nicht ohne Meinen Befehl entsandt. Einst wurde er nicht einmal gegen Nāmuci geschleudert.“

Word by Word

• दधीचे: in (the time of) Dadhīca
• दधीचे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन; ‘in/at Dadhīca (contextual place/time)’

• रावणे: in (the time of) Rāvaṇa
• रावणे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• वीरे: in (the time of) the hero
• वीरे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तारक-आदि-पुरेषु: in the cities such as Tāraka’s
• तारक-आदि-पुरेषु: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (tārakaḥ ādiḥ yeṣāṃ teṣu / ‘Tāraka etc.’ + ‘cities’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग ‘पुर’, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• विना: without
• विना: सम्बन्ध (Exclusion marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: वियोग/वर्जनार्थक अव्यय (without), सामान्यतः तृतीया/द्वितीया-सहयोगी

• मत्-आज्ञाम्: my command
• मत्-आज्ञाम्: कर्म (Object of ‘without’/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-प्रातिपदिक) + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘my command’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लक्ष्मीश: O Lord of Lakṣmī (Viṣṇu)
• लक्ष्मीश: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘Lord of Lakṣmī’), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• रथाङ्गम्: the discus/wheel
• रथाङ्गम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (rathasya aṅgam), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; चक्र-पर्याय (discus/wheel)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negator/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अमुचः: released/gave
• अमुचः: क्रिया (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘अमुचत्’ का वैदिक/पौराणिक रूप (he released/gave)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: कालाधिकरण (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (formerly/once)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (addressing Vishnu as Lakṣmīśa within the Yuddhakhaṇḍa narration, as relayed by Sūta)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Dadhichi
• Ravana
• Tarakasura
• Namuci
• Lakshmi
• Sudarshana Chakra

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes Shiva’s role as Pati—the supreme governor of śakti and cosmic order—showing that even divine power (like the discus) operates properly only under higher spiritual authority, teaching restraint, humility, and surrender.

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

It supports Saguna Shiva devotion by portraying Shiva as the personal Lord who directs events and powers in the world; worship of the Linga is thus worship of the very command (ājñā) that harmonizes and sanctifies all action.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is disciplined action preceded by invocation—mentally offering one’s intent to Shiva (īśvara-arpana) and repeating the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to align personal will with Shiva’s ājñā before undertaking any serious vow or practice.