Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

त्रिपुरदाहवर्णनम् | Tripura-dāha-varṇanam

Description of the Burning of Tripura

Devanagari script

आत्मनो नाम विश्राव्य समाभाष्य महासुरान् । मार्तंडकोटिवपुषं कांडमुग्रो मुमोच ह

Transliteration

ātmano nāma viśrāvya samābhāṣya mahāsurān | mārtaṃḍakoṭivapuṣaṃ kāṃḍamugro mumoca ha

Translation

Proclamando en voz alta su propio nombre y dirigiéndose a los grandes asuras, el fiero lanzó entonces un proyectil que ardía con el resplandor de diez millones de soles.

Word by Word

• आत्मनः: of himself
• आत्मनः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• नाम: name
• नाम: कर्म (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• विश्राव्य: having proclaimed/made heard
• विश्राव्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातुः—श्रु, उपसर्गः—वि; अर्थः—श्रावयित्वा (causative sense in usage)

• समाभाष्य: having addressed
• समाभाष्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ√भाष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; उपसर्गौ—सम्, आ

• महासुरान्: the great demons
• महासुरान्: कर्म (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् असुरः)

• मार्तण्ड-कोटि-वपुषम्: having the brilliance of ten million suns
• मार्तण्ड-कोटि-वपुषम्: विशेषण (qualifier of कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मार्तण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मार्तण्डानां कोटिः इव वपुः यस्य तत्) विशेषणम् काण्डम्-शब्दस्य

• काण्डम्: an arrow/shaft
• काण्डम्: कर्म (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• उग्रः: the fierce one
• उग्रः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• मुमोच: released/let fly
• मुमोच: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ह: indeed
• ह: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-समुच्चय (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the battle account to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tripurāntaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Śiva proclaims his own name and addresses the asuras before releasing a sun-bright missile—saṃhāra is not random but a conscious, declared act of īśvara, establishing moral clarity (dharma vs adharma) and the inevitability of divine judgment.

Significance: The proclaimed ‘name’ underscores nāma-smaraṇa as protective: devotees take refuge in Śiva’s name as the banner of victory over inner asuric tendencies (pride, violence, delusion).

Characters & Entities

• Asuras

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how the power aligned with dharma becomes irresistible: the ‘ten-million-suns’ brilliance symbolizes consciousness that burns away tamas and the demonic ego (asuric pride), reminding the seeker that Shiva’s grace and authority dispel inner darkness.

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

In Shaiva Siddhanta, Saguna Shiva acts as Pati (the Lord) who protects devotees and restores order. This battle imagery supports devotional worship: the Linga is revered as the stable, compassionate presence of Shiva whose manifested power can remove obstacles and subdue negative forces.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is protective remembrance through japa—especially Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—combined with sattvic discipline; devotees may also adopt Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudraksha as Shaiva markers of inner purification and steadfastness.