Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

दग्धत्रिपुरसंव्यूहस्त्रिपुरारिर्यथाभवत् । एवं देवबलं सर्वं दीनं बीभत्सदर्शनम्

Transliteration

dagdhatripurasaṃvyūhastripurāriryathābhavat | evaṃ devabalaṃ sarvaṃ dīnaṃ bībhatsadarśanam

Translation

De même que Tripurāri, le Pourfendeur de Tripura, réduisit en cendres tout le déploiement de Tripura, ainsi toute l’armée des dieux devint entièrement accablée, offrant un spectacle à la fois effroyable et pitoyable.

Word by Word

• दग्ध-त्रिपुर-संव्यूहः: (he) whose Tripura-formation was burnt / the burnt Tripura-formation
• दग्ध-त्रिपुर-संव्यूहः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दह् (धातु)→दग्ध (कृदन्त) + त्रिपुर + संव्यूह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘दग्ध’ + तत्पुरुषसमासः ‘त्रिपुरसंव्यूह’ (array/formation of Tripura); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण ‘त्रिपुरारिः’

• त्रिपुर-अरिः: the enemy of Tripura (Śiva)
• त्रिपुर-अरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिपुर + अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—त्रिपुरस्य अरिः (enemy of Tripura)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/conjunction) — ‘as/just as’

• अभवत्: became / was
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — ‘thus/in this way’

• देव-बलम्: the army of the gods
• देव-बलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—देवानां बलम् (the strength/army of the gods)

• सर्वम्: all / entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘देवबलम्’)

• दीनम्: wretched, dejected
• दीनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• बीभत्स-दर्शनम्: of dreadful appearance
• बीभत्स-दर्शनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बीभत्स + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—बीभत्सं दर्शनं यस्य/यत् (having dreadful appearance)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tripurāntaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse recalls Tripurāntaka—Śiva who burned the three aerial cities of the asuras in a single act, emblematic of divine saṃhāra and the humbling of even celestial powers when they rely on their own bala.

Significance: Meditation on Tripurāntaka is taken as a purifier of pride (ahaṅkāra) and a reminder that devas too are paśu under pāśa without Śiva’s anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Tripura
• Devas

FAQs

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

It underscores the Shaiva Siddhanta view that Pati (Śiva) alone is ultimately competent to remove bondage and calamity; when worldly or celestial powers fail, surrender to Śiva becomes the true refuge.

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

Tripurāri is Saguna Śiva—the compassionate Lord who acts within the world. Linga-worship trains the mind to rely on Śiva’s grace as the decisive power, beyond the limited strength of even the Devas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with humility and surrender, supported by simple Śiva-upāsanā such as vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of dependence on Śiva.