Shloka 28

एकादशरुद्रावतारकथनम् / Account of the Eleven Rudra Manifestations

Rudrāvatāras

Devanagari script

ते रुद्राः काश्यपा वीरा महाबलपराक्रमाः । दैत्याञ्जघ्नुश्च संग्रामे देवसाहाय्यकारिणः

Transliteration

te rudrāḥ kāśyapā vīrā mahābalaparākramāḥ | daityāñjaghnuśca saṃgrāme devasāhāyyakāriṇaḥ

Translation

Those Rudras—heroic sons of Kaśyapa, endowed with immense strength and valor—slew the Daityas in battle, acting as the gods’ helpers.

Word by Word

• te: they/those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); demonstrative pronoun (सर्वनाम)

• rudrāḥ: Rudras
• rudrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kāśyapāḥ: descendants of Kaśyapa
• kāśyapāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśyapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vīrāḥ: heroes
• vīrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• mahā-bala-parākramāḥ: of great strength and valor
• mahā-bala-parākramāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying ‘rudrāḥ’

• daityān: the Daityas (demons)
• daityān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• jaghnuḥ: they slew
• jaghnuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय)

• saṃgrāme: in battle
• saṃgrāme: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃgrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• deva-sāhāyya-kāriṇaḥ: doers of help to the gods
• deva-sāhāyya-kāriṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + sāhāyya (प्रातिपदिक) + kārin (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘kārin’ = agent noun; adjective qualifying ‘rudrāḥ’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Rudras
• Kashyapa
• Daityas
• Devas
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Rudra as Śiva’s saguna, protective power: the Divine actively removes adharma (Daityic forces) to re-establish dharma, showing grace through cosmic guardianship.

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

Though the Linga signifies the transcendent (nirguṇa) Śiva, this verse emphasizes the same Supreme appearing as saguna Rudra-forms to protect the worlds—teaching devotees to worship Śiva as both beyond form and present in compassionate action.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a dharma-centered intention—seeking inner victory over tamas and harmful impulses—supported by Śaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as reminders of Rudra-tattva.