Shloka 20
जलंधरयुद्धे मायाप्रयोगः — Jalandhara’s Māyā in the Battle with Śiva
यावद्रुद्रः प्रचिच्छेद तस्य बाणगणान्द्रुतम् । तावत्सपरिघेणाशु जघान वृषभं बली
yāvadrudraḥ praciccheda tasya bāṇagaṇāndrutam | tāvatsaparigheṇāśu jaghāna vṛṣabhaṃ balī
As long as Rudra swiftly kept cutting down the volleys of arrows shot by that mighty one, so long did the powerful warrior quickly strike the bull (Vṛṣa) with his iron club.
Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating the battle account to the sages, inferred from Purāṇic frame)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Rudra
FAQs
The verse highlights Rudra’s unwavering mastery and protection amid hostility: even while neutralizing incoming weapons, the conflict expands to Śiva’s vṛṣabha (Nandin), underscoring that devotion and Dharma may be tested, yet Rudra’s sovereign power remains unshaken.
Rudra here is Saguna Śiva—active, protective, and responsive within the world. For devotees, it reinforces that the same Lord worshipped as the Liṅga (the transcendent sign) also manifests as Rudra who safeguards his order and attendants in lived reality.
A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) for steadiness and protection during adversity, coupled with Śiva-bhakti disciplines such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) remembrance and inner restraint (saṃyama) when facing conflict.