Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27
शुक्रनिग्रहः — The Seizure/Neutralization of Śukra (Kāvya) and the Daityas’ Despondency
रुधिरोद्गारचित्राणि व्यश्वहस्तिरथानि च । पिपासितानि सैन्यानि मुमूर्च्छुरुभयत्र वै
rudhirodgāracitrāṇi vyaśvahastirathāni ca | pipāsitāni sainyāni mumūrcchurubhayatra vai
Di kedua pihak, medan perang tampak dipenuhi pemandangan ngeri darah dan luka—kuda, gajah, dan kereta perang hancur berserakan; pasukan yang tersiksa oleh dahaga pun mulai pingsan di tempat itu juga.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Yuddhakhaṇḍa account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Kālāntaka
Shakti Form: Kālī
Role: destructive
FAQs
It underscores the perishability of bodily power and worldly victory: even vast armies collapse under pain and thirst, urging vairāgya (detachment) and turning the mind toward Pati—Lord Shiva—as the enduring refuge beyond saṃsāra.
The terror and instability of battle highlight why devotees seek stability in Saguna Shiva through Linga-worship—anchoring the mind in a compassionate, accessible form of Shiva while recognizing the world’s transient nature.
A practical takeaway is to cultivate remembrance of Shiva through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to steady the mind amid distress; this verse supports contemplative detachment rather than prescribing a specific battlefield rite.