Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10

जलंधरयुद्धे मायाप्रयोगः — Jalandhara’s Māyā in the Battle with Śiva

Devanagari script

ततो जलंधरो वेगात्त्रिभिर्विव्याध सायकैः । आपुंखमग्नैस्तं रुद्रं शिरस्युरसि चोदरे

Transliteration

tato jalaṃdharo vegāttribhirvivyādha sāyakaiḥ | āpuṃkhamagnaistaṃ rudraṃ śirasyurasi codare

Translation

Kemudian Jalandhara melesat maju dengan dahsyat, menembus Rudra dengan tiga anak panah yang tertancap hingga ke bulu—mengenai kepala, dada, dan perut.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of sequence/time

• jalaṃdharaḥ: Jalandhara
• jalaṃdharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jalaṃdhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• vegāt: from/with speed
• vegāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन); hetu/nimitta sense

• tribhiḥ: with three
• tribhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral adjective

• vivyādha: pierced
• vivyādha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vyadh (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, Aorist), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• sāyakaiḥ: with arrows
• sāyakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• āpuṃkha-magnaiḥ: with (arrows) sunk in up to the feather
• āpuṃkha-magnaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āpuṃkha + magna (प्रातिपदिक); magna < majj (धातु) क्त (past participle)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound: āpuṃkha (up to the feather/shaft-end) + magnaiḥ; Kr̥danta adjective, Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन) qualifying sāyakaiḥ

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• rudram: Rudra
• rudram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to tam

• śirasi: on the head
• śirasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• urasi: on the chest
• urasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• udare: on the belly
• udare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Shiva)
• Jalandhara

FAQs

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

It portrays the divine līlā where Rudra appears as a warrior within the world’s drama, yet in Shaiva Siddhānta the Supreme (Pati) is ultimately untouched in essence—showing that apparent injury belongs to the manifested play, not to Shiva’s transcendent nature.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Shiva—Rudra as the personal Lord who participates in cosmic events. Linga worship steadies the devotee in the truth that the same Lord who appears in form and action is also the formless Absolute worshiped as the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to take refuge in Shiva through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and inner surrender (śaraṇāgati), remembering that the Lord protects the devotee even amid conflict and agitation.