Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40

अन्धकादिदैत्ययुद्धे वीरकविजयः — Vīraka’s Victory over Andhaka’s Forces

Devanagari script

हिरण्यनेत्रात्मज एव भूपश्चक्रे महाव्यूहमरं सुकर्मा । संभाव्य विष्णुं च निरीक्ष्य याम्यां सुदारुणं तद्गिलनामधेयम्

Transliteration

hiraṇyanetrātmaja eva bhūpaścakre mahāvyūhamaraṃ sukarmā | saṃbhāvya viṣṇuṃ ca nirīkṣya yāmyāṃ sudāruṇaṃ tadgilanāmadheyam

Translation

Alors le roi—fils même d’Hiraṇyanetra, le vaillant Sukarmā—organisa promptement une vaste formation de bataille. Après avoir dûment pris en compte Viṣṇu et scruté le quartier du sud, il dressa un dispositif des plus terribles, nommé « Tad-gila », le « Tout-dévorant ».

Word by Word

• hiraṇya-netra-ātmajaḥ: son of Hiraṇyanetra
• hiraṇya-netra-ātmajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hiraṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + netra (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘hiraṇya-netrasya ātmajaḥ’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (restrictive particle)

• bhūpaḥ: the king
• bhūpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; apposition to subject

• cakre: made/formed
• cakre: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• mahā-vyūham: a great battle-array
• mahā-vyūham: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + vyūha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘mahān vyūhaḥ’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• aram: swift/ready
• aram: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of vyūham); अर्थः ‘swift/fit’ (contextual)

• su-karmā: the skillful one
• su-karmā: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘sukarma’ (good-doer/skillful); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपाधि/विशेषणरूपेण

• saṃbhāvya: having considered
• saṃbhāvya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु) + sam + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/ल्यप्): ‘having considered/honored/anticipated’

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• nirīkṣya: having observed
• nirīkṣya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īkṣ (धातु) + nir + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/ल्यप्): ‘having looked at’

• yāmyām: southern (direction)
• yāmyām: Karma (कर्म/goal-direction)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of diśam implied)

• su-dāruṇam: very dreadful
• su-dāruṇam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (प्रातिपदिक) + dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (intensive): ‘very dreadful’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of nāmadheyam)

• tat-gilana-nāmadheyam: the name ‘Tadgilana’
• tat-gilana-nāmadheyam: Karma (कर्म/object; what was made/assigned)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + gilana (प्रातिपदिक) + nāmadheya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘tad-gilanaṃ nāmadheyam’ (name ‘Devourer of that’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It highlights how worldly power expresses itself through strategy and intimidation, yet such fearsome arrangements remain within the transient field of māyā; in Shaiva understanding, liberation comes not from conquest but from turning toward Pati (Śiva) beyond all arrays of conflict.

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

By contrast: while the king relies on a terrifying external formation, Linga-worship centers the mind on Saguna Śiva as the stabilizing refuge amid turmoil—teaching devotees to seek inner alignment through devotion rather than outward domination.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter fear and agitation with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steadying Śiva-dhyāna; before action, one may also apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of impermanence and Śiva’s protection.