Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

शङ्खचूडस्य मायायुद्धं तथा माहेश्वरास्त्रप्रभावः | Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Māyā-Warfare and the Power of the Māheśvara Astra

Devanagari script

गत्वा तत्र हरिस्तस्या योनौ मायाविशारदः । वीर्याधानं चकाराशु देवकार्यार्थमीश्वरः

Transliteration

gatvā tatra haristasyā yonau māyāviśāradaḥ | vīryādhānaṃ cakārāśu devakāryārthamīśvaraḥ

Translation

S’y étant rendu, Hari—expert en la māyā divine—déposa promptement sa semence dans son sein; le Seigneur agit ainsi pour l’accomplissement du dessein des dieux.

Word by Word

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• hariḥ: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• tasyāḥ: of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• yonau: in the womb
• yonau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular

• māyā-viśāradaḥ: skilled in illusion
• māyā-viśāradaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मायायां विशारदः)

• vīrya-ādhānam: the placing of seed/impregnation
• vīrya-ādhānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वीर्यस्य आधानम्)

• cakāra: did/made
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/रीतिवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly)

• deva-kārya-artham: for the purpose of the gods' task
• deva-kārya-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + kārya (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (देवानां कार्यस्य अर्थम् = for the purpose of the gods' task)

• īśvaraḥ: the Lord
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Tārā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that even major cosmic events unfold under īśvara’s governance for the restoration of dharma; the gods’ “task” is fulfilled through divinely guided action, while the deeper truth remains that the Supreme Lord directs outcomes beyond individual agency.

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

Though the verse names Hari, the Shiva Purana frames cosmic order as functioning under īśvara-tattva; Linga worship centers the devotee on that ruling Lord (Saguna for devotion, pointing to Nirguna beyond), reminding that all deva-activities serve the Supreme reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is īśvara-smaraṇa (remembrance of the Lord’s governance) with japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and offering bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) as a daily reminder that all actions should be aligned to dharma rather than personal desire.