Shloka 38
अध्याय ३८ — काली-शंखचूड-युद्धे अस्त्रप्रयोगः
Kālī and Śaṅkhacūḍa: Mantra-Weapons and Surrender in Battle
इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे द्वि० रुद्रसं०पं०युद्धखंडे शंखचूडवधे कालीयुद्धवर्णनं नामाष्टत्रिंशोऽध्यायः
iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe dvi0 rudrasaṃ0paṃ0yuddhakhaṃḍe śaṃkhacūḍavadhe kālīyuddhavarṇanaṃ nāmāṣṭatriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ
Thus, in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa—within the Second Book, in the Rudra-saṃhitā, in the Yuddha-khaṇḍa, in the account of the slaying of Śaṅkhacūḍa—ends the thirty-eighth chapter, titled “The Description of Kālī’s Battle.”
Sūta Gosvāmin (narratorial colophon concluding the chapter)
Sthala Purana: Colophon verse concluding the chapter on Kālī’s battle in the Śaṅkhacūḍa-vadha narrative; it functions as an editorial end-marker rather than a tīrtha-māhātmya.
Shakti Form: Kālī
Role: destructive
FAQs
This is a colophon marking the completion of a chapter: it frames the narrative as sacred teaching, highlighting that the victory over Śaṅkhacūḍa is ultimately the triumph of Śiva-Śakti over adharmic forces—symbolically, the conquest of ego and bondage (pāśa) that obstruct liberation.
By situating the episode within the Śiva Mahāpurāṇa’s Rudra-saṃhitā, it reinforces Saguna devotion: Śiva’s grace operates in history through divine powers, and Kālī’s battle is understood as Śiva-Śakti’s protective action for dharma—encouraging devotees to worship Śiva (often as Liṅga) with faith in His active compassion.
As a chapter-end marker, it implies a paṭha (recitation) practice: devotees may conclude study with remembrance of Śiva-Śakti and japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) for inner strength, protection, and purification.