Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 34

भद्रस्य देवसंघेषु विक्रमः

Bhadra’s Onslaught among the Deva Hosts

Devanagari script

स विस्फार्य महच्चापं दृढज्याघोषणभीषणम् । भद्रस्तमभिदुद्राव विक्षिपन्नेव सायकान्

Transliteration

sa visphārya mahaccāpaṃ dṛḍhajyāghoṣaṇabhīṣaṇam | bhadrastamabhidudrāva vikṣipanneva sāyakān

Translation

Il banda et courba pleinement le grand arc, redoutable par le fracas de sa corde tendue; et Bhadra se rua sur lui, comme s’il dispersait une pluie de flèches.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• विस्फार्य: having stretched (strung)
• विस्फार्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Gerund; modifies main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √स्फुर्/√स्फार् (धातु; causative sense in usage)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्यय (gerund); अर्थः—विस्तार्य/तानयित्वा (having stretched/strung)

• महत्: great
• महत्: विशेषण (Adjectival to चापम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); चापम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; of विस्फार्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• दृढ-ज्या-घोषण-भीषणम्: terrifying due to the sound of its taut bowstring
• दृढ-ज्या-घोषण-भीषणम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to चापम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ + ज्या + घोषण + भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दृढायाः ज्यायाः घोषणेन भीषणम्)

• भद्रः: Bhadra
• भद्रः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभिदुद्राव: ran towards, charged at
• अभिदुद्राव: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + √द्रु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• विक्षिपन्: throwing, hurling
• विक्षिपन्: विशेषण (Participial modifier of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (Singular); भद्रः इति कर्तृविशेषणम्

• इव: as if
• इव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (particle of comparison: 'as if')

• सायकान्: arrows
• सायकान्: कर्म (Karma/Object; of विक्षिपन्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Bhadra

FAQs

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

The verse depicts outward conflict—force, weapons, and fear—symbolizing the agitation of the bound soul (paśu) under pasha (bondage). In Shaiva Siddhanta, such turbulence is ultimately resolved not by mere power but by the higher governance of Pati (the Lord), who subdues chaos and restores dharma.

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

Though the scene is martial, it points to the Saguna domain where divine order operates through narratives and actions. Linga-worship trains the devotee to shift from reactive violence and ego to steadiness, seeing all events as occurring under Shiva’s lordship and returning the mind to the axis of the Linga (stillness and auspiciousness).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to restrain inner ‘arrows’ of anger through japa of the Panchakshara—"Om Namaḥ Śivāya"—and grounding practices like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) with breath awareness, converting confrontation into inward discipline.