Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 30

भद्रस्य देवसंघेषु विक्रमः

Bhadra’s Onslaught among the Deva Hosts

Devanagari script

क्रन्दमानातुरस्त्रीकं हताशेषपरिच्छदम् । शून्यारण्यनिभं जज्ञे यज्ञवाटं तदार्दितम्

Transliteration

krandamānāturastrīkaṃ hatāśeṣaparicchadam | śūnyāraṇyanibhaṃ jajñe yajñavāṭaṃ tadārditam

Translation

Alors l’enceinte du yajña parut ravagée : remplie de femmes en détresse qui criaient, dépouillée de tout ce qui restait de ses apprêts, et semblable à une forêt déserte et vide.

Word by Word

• क्रन्दमान-आतुर-स्त्रीकम्: filled with distressed women crying
• क्रन्दमान-आतुर-स्त्रीकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रन्दमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्रन्द् धातु, शानच्) + आतुर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्रीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘womenfolk who are distressed and crying’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (यज्ञवाटम् इति विशेषण)

• हत-अशेष-परिच्छदम्: with all equipment destroyed
• हत-अशेष-परिच्छदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; हन् धातु, क्त) + अशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + परिच्छद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘all furnishings/implements destroyed’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (यज्ञवाटम् इति विशेषण)

• शून्य-अरण्य-निभम्: like a deserted forest
• शून्य-अरण्य-निभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘like an empty forest’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (यज्ञवाटम् इति विशेषण)

• जज्ञे: became, came to be
• जज्ञे: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यज्ञ-वाटम्: the sacrificial enclosure
• यज्ञ-वाटम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + वाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘enclosure of sacrifice’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• आर्दितम्: afflicted, devastated
• आर्दितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्दित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; आ+अर्द् धातु, क्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (यज्ञवाटम् इति विशेषण)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga; the verse paints the yajña-vāṭa as a desolate araṇya, a narrative consequence of Satī’s dishonor and Śiva’s wrathful agency manifesting through his gaṇas.

Significance: Ethical-theological: compassion for the afflicted (women wailing) and recognition that social order collapses when dharma is weaponized against devotion; points to anugraha later through restoration and right worship.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

FAQs

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

It underscores that ritual (yajña) without humility and right orientation to Pati (Śiva) becomes barren; when ego and hostility enter, the “sacred space” turns into inner desolation, prompting detachment and a return to true devotion.

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

By portraying the collapse of external sacrificial order, the text implicitly points back to Śiva as the supreme refuge—often approached as Saguna Śiva through Linga-worship—where devotion and surrender restore sanctity beyond mere ritual display.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pair outer worship with inner purification: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a steady, sattvic observance (such as Tripuṇḍra/bhasma and mindful restraint) so the sacred is preserved within and without.