Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 8

भद्रस्य देवसंघेषु विक्रमः

Bhadra’s Onslaught among the Deva Hosts

Devanagari script

व्यचरद्देवसंघेषु भद्रो ऽग्निरिव कक्षगः । तत्र तत्र महावेगाच्चरंतं शूलधारिणम्

Transliteration

vyacaraddevasaṃgheṣu bhadro 'gniriva kakṣagaḥ | tatra tatra mahāvegāccaraṃtaṃ śūladhāriṇam

Translation

Il se mouvait parmi les cohortes des dieux tel un incendie de forêt flamboyant. Avec une vitesse prodigieuse, il allait et venait en tous lieux — lui, le Porteur du Trident.

Word by Word

• vyacarat: moved about/wandered
• vyacarat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु) + vi- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• deva-saṃgheṣu: among the groups of gods
• deva-saṃgheṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'assemblies of gods'

• bhadraḥ: Bhadra (name)
• bhadraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• agniḥ: fire
• agniḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• iva: like/as
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), simile particle (उपमावाचक निपात)

• kakṣagaḥ: moving through the brush/thickets
• kakṣagaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'going in/through the thickets/brush'

• tatra: there
• tatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), adverb of place (देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• tatra: there (here and there)
• tatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), adverb of place (देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• mahā-vegāt: due to great speed
• mahā-vegāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: 'great' + 'speed/impetus'

• carantam: moving/wandering
• carantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śūla-dhāriṇam: the trident-bearer
• śūla-dhāriṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūla (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'bearing a trident/spear'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse portrays Shiva as the supremely dynamic Pati—His presence moves through even the divine hosts with unstoppable power, burning away obstacles like fire, symbolizing the removal of bonds (pāśa) and ignorance.

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

It supports Saguna Shiva devotion by emphasizing Shiva’s manifest form as Śūladhārī (trident-bearer). For Lingārcana, this becomes a contemplation that the same Lord present in the Linga also acts in the cosmos with swift, protective sovereignty.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as Trishuladhari while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” visualizing His grace as a purifying fire that burns inner impurities; apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of this purification.