Shloka 2
द्वन्द्वयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Duel-Combats
नन्दिनं कालनेमिश्च शुंभो लंबोदरं तथा । निशुंभः षण्मुखं देवमभ्यधावत शंकितः
nandinaṃ kālanemiśca śuṃbho laṃbodaraṃ tathā | niśuṃbhaḥ ṣaṇmukhaṃ devamabhyadhāvata śaṃkitaḥ
Alarmed, Niśumbha rushed to assail the six-faced Lord Ṣaṇmukha; Śumbha and Kālanemi advanced against Nandin, and Lambodara too joined in the onslaught.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Rudra
FAQs
The verse contrasts fear-driven aggression with divine steadiness: the asuric forces, “alarmed,” rush to strike, while Shiva’s side (Nandin and Ṣaṇmukha) represents dharma upheld by Pati’s grace—showing that inner fear (pāśa) propels conflict, but devotion aligns one with protection and right action.
Though the scene is martial, its devotional core is Saguna Shiva’s protection through his manifest powers—his gaṇas (like Nandin) and his son Skanda (Ṣaṇmukha). In Linga-worship, devotees remember that the formless Absolute is approached through compassionate forms that remove भय (fear) and uphold dharma.
A practical takeaway is fear-pacification through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, cultivating steadiness when the mind “rushes” like Niśumbha—redirecting agitation into Shiva-remembrance.