Shloka 48

द्वन्द्वयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Duel-Combats

Devanagari script

अथो स दैत्यराजो हि पुप्लुवे परिघायुधः । वीरभद्रोपकठं स द्रुतमाप महाबलः

Transliteration

atho sa daityarājo hi pupluve parighāyudhaḥ | vīrabhadropakaṭhaṃ sa drutamāpa mahābalaḥ

Translation

Then the king of the Daityas, wielding an iron bludgeon, leapt forward; mighty in strength, he swiftly came close to Vīrabhadra.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (sequencer), आरम्भ/अनन्तर (now/then)

• उ: indeed
• उ: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग; सर्वनाम

• दैत्य-राजः: the king of demons
• दैत्य-राजः: कर्ता (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दैत्यानां राजा)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कारण/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• पुप्लुवे: leapt/sprang
• पुप्लुवे: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्लु (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• परिघ-आयुधः: whose weapon was a club (parigha)
• परिघ-आयुधः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिघ (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य आयुधं परिघः)

• वीरभद्र-उपकठम्: near Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्र-उपकठम्: कर्म (Goal/object of motion/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष (वीरभद्रस्य उपकठम् = near/side of Vīrabhadra)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग; सर्वनाम

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative/indeclinable usage)

• आप: reached/attained
• आप: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महा-बलः: very strong/mighty
• महा-बलः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग; कर्मधारय (महच्च तत् बलं यस्य/महाबलः)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra

FAQs

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

It depicts the surge of demonic ego and aggression rushing toward the Lord’s divine instrument (Vīrabhadra), highlighting the Shaiva theme that adharma may advance boldly, yet it inevitably meets the superior power of Śiva’s will (śakti) that restores cosmic order.

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

Vīrabhadra represents Saguna Śiva’s active, protective aspect—Śiva engaging the world to subdue adharma. Linga-worship trains the devotee to recognize that the same supreme reality (Pati) can be both transcendent (nirguṇa) and manifest (saguṇa) for the protection of devotees and dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implies steadiness when confronted by forceful negativity: devotees may anchor the mind with the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and reinforce devotional discipline with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of Śiva’s protection and inner restraint.