Shloka 48
द्वन्द्वयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Duel-Combats
अथो स दैत्यराजो हि पुप्लुवे परिघायुधः । वीरभद्रोपकठं स द्रुतमाप महाबलः
atho sa daityarājo hi pupluve parighāyudhaḥ | vīrabhadropakaṭhaṃ sa drutamāpa mahābalaḥ
Alors le roi des Daityas, brandissant une massue de fer, bondit en avant; puissant de vigueur, il s’approcha promptement de Vīrabhadra.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra
FAQs
It depicts the surge of demonic ego and aggression rushing toward the Lord’s divine instrument (Vīrabhadra), highlighting the Shaiva theme that adharma may advance boldly, yet it inevitably meets the superior power of Śiva’s will (śakti) that restores cosmic order.
Vīrabhadra represents Saguna Śiva’s active, protective aspect—Śiva engaging the world to subdue adharma. Linga-worship trains the devotee to recognize that the same supreme reality (Pati) can be both transcendent (nirguṇa) and manifest (saguṇa) for the protection of devotees and dharma.
The verse implies steadiness when confronted by forceful negativity: devotees may anchor the mind with the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and reinforce devotional discipline with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of Śiva’s protection and inner restraint.