Shloka 34

राहोः शिरच्छेदन-कारणकथनम् / The Account of Rāhu’s Beheading

Cause and Background

Devanagari script

ममानुजेन हरिणा निहतस्य हि पापधीः । हिंसकस्साधुसंधस्य पापिष्ठस्सागरोदरे

Transliteration

mamānujena hariṇā nihatasya hi pāpadhīḥ | hiṃsakassādhusaṃdhasya pāpiṣṭhassāgarodare

Translation

“My younger brother Hari has indeed slain him. That wicked-minded one—violent, a tormentor of the company of the righteous, and most sinful—has now gone down into the belly of the ocean.”

Word by Word

• मम: my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनुजेन: by (my) younger brother
• अनुजेन: करण/कर्ता (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• हरिणा: by Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिणा: करण/कर्ता (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; अनुजेन इति सह समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• निहतस्य: of the slain (one)
• निहतस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; 'of the slain'

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal)

• पापधीः: evil-minded (one)
• पापधीः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; implied 'he')
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (पापा धीः यस्य = evil-minded)

• हिंसकः: violent one / killer
• हिंसकः: कर्ता (Karta; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिंसक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• साधुसंधस्य: of the assembly of the good
• साधुसंधस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive; object of हिंसकः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु-संध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (साधूनां संधः = group/assembly of the good)

• पापिष्ठः: most sinful
• पापिष्ठः: कर्ता (Karta; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; पाप + इष्ठन् superlative)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अतिशय (superlative adjective)

• सागर-उदरे: in the ocean’s interior
• सागर-उदरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर-उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सागरस्य उदरम् = in the belly/interior of the ocean)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Yuddhakhaṇḍa account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the karmic consequence of हिंसा (violence) and hostility toward sādhus: the “pāpadhī” falls into degradation, while divine order is restored—supporting the Shaiva ethic that purity of intent and protection of dharma are essential for spiritual ascent toward Shiva.

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

By contrasting the fate of the violent with the protection of the righteous, it reinforces why devotees take refuge in Saguna Shiva through Linga worship: the Linga symbolizes Shiva as the stabilizing Lord (Pati) who upholds dharma and burns impurities (mala) that drive cruelty and adharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is ahiṃsā with daily Panchakshara japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as purification of pāpa-dhī; on Mahāśivarātri, combine japa with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to restrain हिंसा and align conduct with sādhu-dharma.