Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 30

भद्रस्य दिव्यरथारोहणं शङ्खनादश्च — Bhadra’s Divine Chariot-Ascent and the Conch-Blast

Devanagari script

तं बाणं बाणवर्येण भद्रो भद्राह्वयेण तु । अप्राप्तमेव भगवाञ्चिच्छेद शतधा पथि

Transliteration

taṃ bāṇaṃ bāṇavaryeṇa bhadro bhadrāhvayeṇa tu | aprāptameva bhagavāñciccheda śatadhā pathi

Translation

Daraufhin zerschnitt Bhadra mit seinem vorzüglichsten Pfeil namens Bhadrāhva, durch die unwiderstehliche Macht des Herrn, den heranfliegenden Pfeil noch auf seiner Bahn in hundert Stücke, ehe er das Ziel erreichte.

Word by Word

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier of bāṇam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• bāṇam: arrow
• bāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• bāṇa-varyeṇa: with a superior arrow
• bāṇa-varyeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + varya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); Karmadhāraya: ‘excellent arrow’

• bhadraḥ: Bhadra
• bhadraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhadra-āhvayena: by (one) named Bhadra
• bhadra-āhvayena: Karaṇa (करण) / Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (instrumental of means/identification)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक) + āhvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa: bhadra-āhvaya (‘having the name Bhadra’), used as epithet/identifier

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात) expressing contrast/emphasis

• aprāptam: not yet arrived
• aprāptam: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier of bāṇam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-prāpta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); ‘not yet reached’ (negated)

• eva: just/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात) of emphasis/limitation

• bhagavān: the Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ciccheda: cut (it)
• ciccheda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chid (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• śatadhā: into a hundred pieces
• śatadhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śatadhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘into a hundred parts’

• pathi: on the way / in mid-course
• pathi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bhadra

FAQs

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

It shows the Siddhānta theme that Pati (the Lord) is sovereign over all powers: hostile forces (pāśa-like obstructions) are rendered ineffective before they can harm the devotee or the righteous cause.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Shiva’s active grace (anugraha)—the worshipped Lord who intervenes in the world to protect dharma; Linga-worship is devotion to that same protecting, all-governing Reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is śaraṇāgati (refuge) through japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—while visualizing Shiva’s protective grace cutting through inner obstacles like fear, anger, and doubt.