Shloka 42
द्वन्द्वयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Duel-Combats
ततोऽतिक्रुद्धो दैत्येन्द्रश्शक्तिमुद्यम्य दारुणाम् । गणेशं पातयामास रथमन्यं समारुहत्
tato'tikruddho daityendraśśaktimudyamya dāruṇām | gaṇeśaṃ pātayāmāsa rathamanyaṃ samāruhat
Then the lord of the Daityas, inflamed with fierce wrath, raised his dreadful spear and struck Gaṇeśa down; thereafter he mounted another chariot.
Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
FAQs
It highlights the turbulence of asuric anger and violence, contrasted with the steadiness of the Lord’s gaṇas; even when the divine attendant appears struck down, dharma is ultimately upheld by Shiva’s sovereign will (Pati), reminding the seeker not to be shaken by temporary reversals.
The battlefield narrative reinforces Saguna Shiva’s governance of cosmic order through his attendants (gaṇas). Devotion to Shiva—often centered on the Liṅga—cultivates surrender to that higher governance, seeing events as under the Lord’s protection rather than mere chaos.
A practical takeaway is to steady the mind against krodha (anger) by japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and to maintain Shaiva discipline such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supports for composure and devotion.