Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 11

भद्रस्य देवसंघेषु विक्रमः

Bhadra’s Onslaught among the Deva Hosts

Devanagari script

प्रभयेव युगांताग्निश्चलया धूमधूम्रया । भद्रकाली तदायुद्धे विद्रुतत्रिदशाबभौ

Transliteration

prabhayeva yugāṃtāgniścalayā dhūmadhūmrayā | bhadrakālī tadāyuddhe vidrutatridaśābabhau

Translation

Dans cette bataille, Bhadrakālī apparut telle le feu de la fin des âges — vacillant, chargé de fumée, noirci de vapeurs — si bien que les cohortes des dieux prirent la fuite.

Word by Word

• प्रभया: by/with radiance
• प्रभया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• इव: like, as if
• इव: सम्बन्ध/अव्यय (indeclinable modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• युगान्त-अग्नि-चलया: with the moving (flame) of the fire at the end of the age
• युगान्त-अग्नि-चलया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युगान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + चला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (युगान्तस्य अग्निः) + विशेषण (चला)

• धूम-धूम्रया: with smoke-dark (smoky)
• धूम-धूम्रया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूम (प्रातिपदिक) + धूम्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (धूमः एव धूम्रः)

• भद्रकाली: Bhadrakālī
• भद्रकाली: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्रकाली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: अधिकरण (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• आयुद्धे: in the battle
• आयुद्धे: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• विद्रुत-त्रिदशा: the fleeing gods
• विद्रुत-त्रिदशा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्रुत (कृदन्त; √द्रु (धातु) + वि, क्त) + त्रिदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (विद्रुताः त्रिदशाः)

• अभभौ: shone, appeared radiant
• अभभौ: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: mahapralaya (yugānta imagery)

Characters & Entities

• Bhadrakali
• Devas

FAQs

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

Bhadrakālī is portrayed as Śiva’s irresistible Śakti: when divine power manifests to dissolve adharma, even celestial pride trembles. Spiritually, it points to the supremacy of Pati (Śiva) and His Śakti over all limited powers, urging surrender beyond fear and ego.

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

Bhadrakālī’s fearsome form is a Saguna manifestation—Śiva’s grace taking a protective, corrective power in the world. Linga-worship trains the devotee to see such forms as expressions of the one Lord: the same Śiva who is formless (Nirguna) also appears with attributes (Saguna) to uphold dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and cultivate śaraṇāgati (refuge in Śiva) when fear arises, remembering that divine power dissolves inner impurities like the pralaya fire burns all limitations.