Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 34

द्वन्द्वयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Duel-Combats

Devanagari script

शैलादिं पंचभिर्विद्ध्वा गणेशं पंचभिश्शरैः । वीरभद्रं च विंशत्या ननाद जलदस्वनः

Transliteration

śailādiṃ paṃcabhirviddhvā gaṇeśaṃ paṃcabhiśśaraiḥ | vīrabhadraṃ ca viṃśatyā nanāda jaladasvanaḥ

Translation

Ce guerrier, dont le rugissement était tel le tonnerre des nuées de pluie, perça Śailādi de cinq traits, Gaṇeśa de cinq flèches et Vīrabhadra de vingt ; puis il poussa un cri retentissant sur le champ de bataille.

Word by Word

• śaila-ādim: Śaila and others (the group beginning with Śaila)
• śaila-ādim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (कर्मधारय/समाहार: ‘mountain etc.’), Masculine, Accusative Singular

• paṃcabhiḥ: with five
• paṃcabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective, Instrumental Plural (तृतीया बहुवचन)

• viddhvā: having pierced
• viddhvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vyadh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा) from √vyadh ‘to pierce’; ‘having pierced’

• gaṇeśam: Gaṇeśa
• gaṇeśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative Singular

• paṃcabhiḥ: with five
• paṃcabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective, Instrumental Plural

• śaraiḥ: arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental Plural

• vīrabhadram: Vīrabhadra
• vīrabhadram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrabhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय अव्यय)

• viṃśatyā: with twenty
• viṃśatyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṃśati (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral, Instrumental Singular (तृतीया एकवचन); used collectively ‘with twenty (arrows)’

• nanāda: roared
• nanāda: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nad (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; √nad ‘to roar/sound’

• jalada-svanaḥ: (one) with cloud-like sound
• jalada-svanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jalada (प्रातिपदिक) + svana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘of cloud’ + ‘sound’), Masculine, Nominative Singular; epithet of the roaring one

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Yuddhakhaṇḍa battle account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Characters & Entities

• Ganesha
• Virabhadra
• Śailādi

FAQs

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

The verse depicts the intensity of the cosmic battle while implying a Shaiva Siddhanta truth: even mighty divine agents like Gaṇeśa and Vīrabhadra participate in līlā, yet the devotee’s refuge is the Supreme Pati (Śiva), beyond fear and injury.

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

In the Yuddhakhaṇḍa, outer conflict highlights inner surrender—Saguna Śiva is worshiped as the protecting Lord whose gaṇas act in His service; the Liṅga signifies the unshaken center of consciousness amid the thunder of worldly struggle.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to stabilize the mind through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and cultivate fearlessness; if following Purāṇic Shaiva practice, complement japa with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of Śiva’s protection.