Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

भद्रस्य दिव्यरथारोहणं शङ्खनादश्च — Bhadra’s Divine Chariot-Ascent and the Conch-Blast

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वा विष्णुमायांतं शतधा बाणवर्षिणम् । स चाददे धनुर्जैत्रं भद्रो बाणसहस्रमुक्

Transliteration

taṃ dṛṣṭvā viṣṇumāyāṃtaṃ śatadhā bāṇavarṣiṇam | sa cādade dhanurjaitraṃ bhadro bāṇasahasramuk

Translation

Le voyant surgir par la māyā de Viṣṇu, faisant pleuvoir des flèches au centuple, Bhadrá saisit à son tour son arc victorieux, dont la décharge semblait mille traits, prêt à lui tenir tête.

Word by Word

• tam: him/that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); "having seen"

• viṣṇum: Vishnu
• viṣṇum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• āyāntam: approaching
• āyāntam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√yā (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (viṣṇum) "coming/approaching"

• śatadhā: a hundredfold
• śatadhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śatadhā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb): "in a hundred ways/into hundreds"

• bāṇavarṣiṇam: showering arrows
• bāṇavarṣiṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + √vṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (णिनि/शतृ-प्राय adjectival formation) "arrow-raining"; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (viṣṇum)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction): "and"

• ādade: took/seized
• ādade: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√dā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• jaitram: victorious
• jaitram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (dhanuḥ) "victorious"

• bhadraḥ: Bhadra
• bhadraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (नाम/विशेषणवत्)

• bāṇasahasramuk: whose mouth (outlet) is a thousand arrows; thousand-arrowed
• bāṇasahasramuk: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + muk (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि: "yasya mukhaṃ bāṇa-sahasram" / "bāṇa-sahasraṃ mukhe yasya"; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (bhadraḥ)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Bhadra

FAQs

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

The verse highlights māyā as a power that can project formidable appearances and conflicts; from a Shaiva Siddhānta lens, it points to the need to discern reality beyond māyā and to stand steady in dharma when confronted by delusive forces.

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

Though the verse is martial in tone, its underlying theme is mastery over māyā—achieved in Shaiva practice by taking refuge in Saguna Shiva (Linga worship, mantra, devotion) as the accessible support that leads the seeker toward realization of Shiva beyond all projections.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steadiness of mind to overcome māyā; if following Purāṇic observance, support it with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of detachment and Shiva-centered focus.