Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

देवपराजयः — शङ्करशरणागमनं स्कन्दकालीयुद्धं च | Devas’ Defeat, Refuge in Śaṅkara, and the Battle of Skanda and Kālī

Devanagari script

स्कंदस्य समरं दृष्ट्वा महारौद्रं तमद्भुतम् । दानवानां क्षयकरं यथाप्रकृतिकल्पकम्

Transliteration

skaṃdasya samaraṃ dṛṣṭvā mahāraudraṃ tamadbhutam | dānavānāṃ kṣayakaraṃ yathāprakṛtikalpakam

Translation

En voyant le combat de Skanda—merveilleux et d’une fureur extrême—les témoins comprirent qu’il causait l’anéantissement des Dānavas, et que les événements se déployaient selon l’ordre de la nature déjà établi.

Word by Word

• स्कन्दस्य: of Skanda
• स्कन्दस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी / Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• समरम्: battle
• समरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषण / prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• महा-रौद्रम्: very fierce
• महा-रौद्रम्: विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) समरम् इति

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful, astonishing
• अद्भुतम्: विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) तत्/समरम्

• दानवानाम्: of the Dānavas (demons)
• दानवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी / Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• क्षय-करम्: causing destruction
• क्षय-करम्: विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) समरम्

• यथा-प्रकृति-कल्पकम्: in accordance with its nature; as is natural
• यथा-प्रकृति-कल्पकम्: विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक) + कल्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास; विशेषण (qualifier) समरम्

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: yathā-prakṛti-kalpa (events unfolding according to cosmic order/dharma-niyati)

Characters & Entities

• Skanda (Kārttikeya)
• Dānavas

FAQs

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

It presents Skanda’s fierce victory as an instrument of dharmic order: the destruction of demonic forces is not mere violence but the restoration of cosmic balance according to prakṛti and Shiva’s governance.

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

Skanda’s raudra is understood as the power of Saguna Shiva’s will operating through Shiva’s divine family; devotion to the Linga aligns the devotee with that protecting order which removes inner ‘dānavic’ tendencies (ego, cruelty, delusion).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Shiva’s protective governance while chanting the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to subdue inner hostility; optionally apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder that all destructive forces end in ash and surrender to Shiva.