Shloka 28

Śumbha–Niśumbha’s Mobilization After Devī’s Victories

Battle Muster and Omens

Devanagari script

वधोऽपि नारीविहितोऽयशस्करः प्रगीयते युद्धरसं लिलिक्षुभिः । तथाप्यकृत्वा समरं कथं मुखं प्रदर्शयामोऽसुरराजसन्निधौ

Transliteration

vadho'pi nārīvihito'yaśaskaraḥ pragīyate yuddharasaṃ lilikṣubhiḥ | tathāpyakṛtvā samaraṃ kathaṃ mukhaṃ pradarśayāmo'surarājasannidhau

Translation

Even a killing done at a woman’s command is said to bring disgrace—so sing those who delight in the savor of battle. Yet if we do not fight at all, how shall we show our faces in the presence of the king of the asuras?

Word by Word

• vadhaḥ: killing / slaying
• vadhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/बल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• nārī-vihitaḥ: done by a woman
• nārī-vihitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक) + vihita (√dhā/√vidh?; विहित-प्रातिपदिक from √dhā with vi- prefix, PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (agent/association): नारीणाṃ/नार्या विहितः = done by a woman

• ayaśas-karaḥ: bringing disgrace
• ayaśas-karaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-yaśas (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: अयशः करोति इति

• pragīyate: is sung / is proclaimed
• pragīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√gai (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Pres.), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.)

• yuddha-rasam: the flavor of battle
• yuddha-rasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक) + rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुषः: युद्धस्य रसः

• lilikṣubhiḥ: by those wishing to write/describe
• lilikṣubhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √likh (धातु)
• Form: सन्नन्त/देशिदेरिवेटिव (desiderative) लिलिक्षु (Desiderative participle), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), बहुवचन (pl.)

• tathāpi: nevertheless
• tathāpi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय) + api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययसमूहः (conjunctive adverb): तथापि = nevertheless

• akṛtvā: without doing
• akṛtvā: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), नञ्-पूर्वक (negated): not having done

• samaram: battle
• samaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• mukham: face
• mukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• pradarśayāmaḥ: do we show
• pradarśayāmaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dṛś (धातु) (णिच् causative: darśayati)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Pres.), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), बहुवचन (pl.), परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative): we show

• asura-rāja-sannidhau: in the presence of the demon-king
• asura-rāja-sannidhau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + sannidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी (Loc. 7), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: असुरराजस्य सन्निधौ

Speaker

Asura warriors/counsellors (speaking among themselves in the Umāsaṃhitā narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Caṇḍikā

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Asura king

FAQs

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

It highlights how worldly identity clings to honor, shame, and reputation—bindings (pāśa) that keep the pashu (bound soul) entangled—contrasted with Shaiva insight that liberation comes from turning from egoic pride toward Pati (Śiva).

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

The verse shows the asuric mindset driven by prestige and domination; Linga/Saguna-Śiva worship in the Shiva Purana is presented as the remedy—redirecting will and emotion from conflict-rasa to devotion (bhakti) and surrender to Śiva as the inner Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cool pride and aggression through japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and steadying disciplines like applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of impermanence and humility.