Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14
देव-गण-समरः
Devas and Śiva’s Gaṇas Engage in Battle
पराजितान्स्वकान्दृष्ट्वा वीरभद्रो रुषान्वितः । भूतप्रेतपिशाचांश्च कृत्वा तानेव पृष्ठतः
parājitānsvakāndṛṣṭvā vīrabhadro ruṣānvitaḥ | bhūtapretapiśācāṃśca kṛtvā tāneva pṛṣṭhataḥ
Voyant ses propres troupes vaincues, Vīrabhadra, empli de courroux, changea ces mêmes adversaires en bhūtas, pretas et piśācas, les poussant derrière lui comme des suivants.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: destructive
FAQs
The verse highlights how adharmic opposition to Śiva’s will collapses under divine agency: Vīrabhadra’s fury represents Śiva’s protective power that restores dharma, and the transformation into lower spirit-states underscores the karmic consequence of arrogance and hostility toward the divine.
Vīrabhadra is a Saguna manifestation—Śiva acting within name-and-form to correct imbalance. For devotees, it reinforces that Linga-worship is not merely symbolic: the Linga signifies the Lord who can be both tranquil and fierce, bestowing grace on the devoted and restraining adharmic forces.
The practical takeaway is to cultivate humility and Śiva-bhakti through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined purity (e.g., Tripuṇḍra/bhasma with reverence), so one aligns with Śiva’s grace rather than the ego that leads to downfall.