Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28

गजासुरतपः–देवलोकक्षोभः

Gajāsura’s Austerities and the Disturbance of the Worlds

Devanagari script

सुरान्नरांश्च प्रमथान्सर्वाञ्चिक्लेश दुर्मतिः । धर्मान्वितान्विशेषेण पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन्

Transliteration

surānnarāṃśca pramathānsarvāñcikleśa durmatiḥ | dharmānvitānviśeṣeṇa pūrvavairamanusmaran

Translation

Cet être à l’esprit mauvais tourmenta les dieux, les hommes et tous les Pramathas—surtout ceux établis dans le dharma—tout en ruminant son inimitié d’autrefois.

Word by Word

• surān: gods
• surān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• narān: men
• narān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• pramathān: Pramathas (Śiva’s attendants)
• pramathān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramatha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (to the preceding objects)

• cikleśa: tormented, afflicted
• cikleśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kliś (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• durmatiḥ: the evil-minded one
• durmatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durmati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• dharma-anvitān: endowed with righteousness
• dharma-anvitān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √i ‘to go’ with anu, ‘endowed’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; निष्ठान्त-विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (dharmena anvitāḥ)

• viśeṣeṇa: especially
• viśeṣeṇa: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनस्य अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः (instrumental used adverbially): ‘especially/in particular’

• pūrva-vairam: former enmity
• pūrva-vairam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + vaira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (पूर्वं वैरम्)

• anusmaran: remembering
• anusmaran: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√smṛ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present Active Participle), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्; ‘remembering’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; the verse functions as a narrative marker of adharma-driven hostility that obstructs dharma and devotion, a typical prelude to Śiva’s restoring intervention.

Significance: General: warns that smaraṇa of pūrvavaira (brooding on enmity) intensifies pāśa (bondage) and leads to duḥkha; encourages śaraṇāgati to Śiva for release.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Pramathas

FAQs

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

It highlights how “pūrvavaira” (clinging to past hostility) hardens the mind into durmati and produces suffering for oneself and others; Shaiva teaching emphasizes releasing hatred and aligning with dharma to move toward Shiva’s grace and inner purification.

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

By contrasting the dharmic hosts (including Shiva’s Pramathas) with the tormentor’s hatred, the verse implicitly points to Saguna Shiva as the protector of dharma; Linga-worship is a discipline to dissolve egoic hostility and stabilize the mind in Shiva-bhakti rather than vengeance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to neutralize resentment, along with Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa as reminders to live dharmically and not be driven by old enmities.