Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

अध्याय ५५ — बाणस्य पुनर्युद्धप्रवृत्तिः

Bāṇa’s Renewed Engagement in Battle

Devanagari script

स्मृत्वा शिवपदाम्भोजं चिक्षेप निजसायकान् । स कृष्णायातिशूराय महागर्वो बलेस्सुतः

Transliteration

smṛtvā śivapadāmbhojaṃ cikṣepa nijasāyakān | sa kṛṣṇāyātiśūrāya mahāgarvo balessutaḥ

Translation

Recordando los pies de loto del Señor Śiva, el hijo de Bala, henchido de gran soberbia, arrojó sus propias flechas contra Kṛṣṇa, el héroe de valentía excelsa que avanzaba al combate.

Word by Word

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: स्मृ; ‘having remembered’

• शिव-पद-अम्भोजम्: Shiva’s lotus-feet
• शिव-पद-अम्भोजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘शिवस्य पदस्य अम्भोजम्’

• चिक्षेप: he hurled
• चिक्षेप: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निज-सायकान्: his own arrows
• निज-सायकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + सायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘निजाः सायकाः’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कृष्णाय: to Krishna
• कृष्णाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• अति-शूराय: to the very brave (one)
• अति-शूराय: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (उपपद/उपसर्गपूर्वक) ‘अतिशूरः’ = very heroic

• महागर्वः: very proud
• महागर्वः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘महान् गर्वः यस्य’ (as adjective ‘very proud’)

• बलेः: of Bali
• बलेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse invokes Śiva’s lotus-feet as the decisive refuge even amid Vaiṣṇava–Asura conflict, reflecting the Śiva Purāṇa’s framing that all powers operate under Śiva’s overlordship (Paśupati) and grace.

Significance: Smaraṇa (remembrance) of Śiva’s feet is presented as a protective, empowering act in crisis—an implicit teaching that devotion to Pati loosens pāśa (bondage) even in worldly struggle.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: śivapadāmbhojam (invocatory remembrance of Śiva’s lotus-feet)

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Krishna
• Bala

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śiva-smaraṇa—remembering Śiva’s lotus-feet—as a sanctifying inner act that steadies the mind and aligns even worldly action with devotion, pointing to Śiva as the supreme refuge (Pati) in all states, including conflict.

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

Remembering Śiva’s lotus-feet is a form of saguna-upāsanā (devotion to Śiva with attributes). In Śaiva practice this is naturally supported by Liṅga-worship, where the devotee fixes attention on Śiva’s presence and offers mind and action to Him.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is Shiva-smaraṇa with mantra-japa—mentally anchoring in “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” before undertaking intense action—so the mind remains disciplined and surrendered rather than driven by pride.