Shloka 9

युद्धप्रस्थान-वर्णनम्

Departure to the Battlefield and the Śaiva Overlordship over the Devas

Devanagari script

अथ ब्रह्माच्युतौ वीरौ हंतुकामौ परस्परम् । माहेश्वरेण चाऽस्त्रेण तथा पाशुपतेन च

Transliteration

atha brahmācyutau vīrau haṃtukāmau parasparam | māheśvareṇa cā'streṇa tathā pāśupatena ca

Translation

Then the two heroic gods—Brahmā and Acyuta (Viṣṇu)—each desiring to strike down the other, confronted one another, employing the Māheśvara weapon and also the Pāśupata weapon.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), discourse particle (अनन्तरार्थक)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• अच्युतौ: (and) Acyuta (Viṣṇu) [dual form used with vīrau]
• अच्युतौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• वीरौ: two heroes
• वीरौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• हन्तु-कामौ: desiring to kill
• हन्तु-कामौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: han (धातु) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound adjective; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुष (हन्तुं कामः यस्य)

• परस्परम्: each other; mutually
• परस्परम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paraspara (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (परस्पर-भावे)

• माहेश्वरेण: with the Māheśvara (weapon)
• माहेश्वरेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter/masculine stem used adjectivally; Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘माहेश्वर’ = belonging to Maheśvara

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• अस्त्रेण: with a weapon
• अस्त्रेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (तुल्य/अनुरूप)

• पाशुपतेन: with the Pāśupata (weapon)
• पाशुपतेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāśupata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘पाशुपत’ = of Paśupati (Śiva)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights that even the greatest deities can fall into rivalry, while the highest Śaiva truth is that all powers (śakti) and astras ultimately rest in Mahādeva, the Pati who transcends ego and conflict.

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

The use of Māheśvara and Pāśupata weapons points back to Śiva as the supreme source of divine authority; Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana centers devotion on that Saguna manifestation through which the Nirguna reality is approached.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to replace competitiveness with śaraṇāgati (surrender) to Śiva—supported by japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and steady remembrance of Śiva as Pāśupati, the liberator from bondage (pāśa).