Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39

शिवस्य सैन्यप्रयाणम् तथा गणपतिनामावलिः (Śiva’s Mobilization for War and the Catalogue of Gaṇa Commanders)

Devanagari script

बिभ्रती विकटां जिह्वां सुलोलां योजनायताम् । शंखचक्रगदापद्मखङ्गचर्मधनुश्शरान्

Transliteration

bibhratī vikaṭāṃ jihvāṃ sulolāṃ yojanāyatām | śaṃkhacakragadāpadmakhaṅgacarmadhanuśśarān

Translation

Elle portait une langue effrayante, ondoyante, étendue jusqu’à la mesure d’un yojana ; et elle tenait la conque, le disque, la massue, le lotus, l’épée, le bouclier, l’arc et les flèches, manifestant au combat une forme redoutable armée de toutes parts.

Word by Word

• बिभ्रती: bearing
• बिभ्रती: विशेषण (Adjectival to implied subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √भृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘bearing/holding’

• विकटाम्: terrible/huge
• विकटाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of जिह्वाम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; जिह्वा-विशेषण

• जिह्वाम्: tongue
• जिह्वाम्: कर्म (Object of बिभ्रती)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सुलोलाम्: very wavering
• सुलोलाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of जिह्वाम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-लोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सु + लोल), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; जिह्वा-विशेषण

• योजनायताम्: a yojana in length
• योजनायताम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of जिह्वाम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योजन-आयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मात्रा-निर्देश: योजनम् आयतः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; जिह्वा-विशेषण

• शङ्ख: conch
• शङ्ख: समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (compound member), पुंलिङ्ग; मूलरूप (stem)

• चक्र: discus
• चक्र: समासाङ्ग
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; मूलरूप

• गदा: mace
• गदा: समासाङ्ग
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; मूलरूप

• पद्म: lotus
• पद्म: समासाङ्ग
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; मूलरूप

• खङ्ग: sword
• खङ्ग: समासाङ्ग
• Type: Noun
• Root: खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग, पुंलिङ्ग; मूलरूप

• चर्म: shield/leather
• चर्म: समासाङ्ग
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; मूलरूप

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: समासाङ्ग
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; मूलरूप (stem: धनुस्)

• शरान्: conch, discus, mace, lotus, sword, shield, bow, and arrows
• शरान्: कर्म (Object—items borne/held)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व-समास (शङ्ख-चक्र-गदा-पद्म-खङ्ग-चर्म-धनुः-शर), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समस्तपद-रूप ‘...शरान्’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Kālabhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse depicts Shakti’s awe-inspiring, battle-ready manifestation—teaching that the Divine protects dharma through Saguna forms, while remaining the same supreme Reality that grants liberation when approached with devotion and right understanding.

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

Though Linga worship points to Shiva’s transcendent reality, the Purana also affirms Saguna manifestations—here, a fierce, weapon-bearing divine form—showing that the same Supreme is worshipped both as the formless principle and as the protector active in the world.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on the protective aspect of the Divine while repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and cultivate fearlessness and surrender; this verse especially supports dhyāna on Shiva-Shakti as the guardian of devotees during inner and outer conflicts.