Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 36

गजासुरतपः–देवलोकक्षोभः

Gajāsura’s Austerities and the Disturbance of the Worlds

Devanagari script

ऊरुवेगेन तरवः पतंति शिखरैस्सह । यस्य दोर्दंडघातेन चूर्णा स्युश्च शिलोच्चयाः

Transliteration

ūruvegena taravaḥ pataṃti śikharaissaha | yasya dordaṃḍaghātena cūrṇā syuśca śiloccayāḥ

Translation

Oleh dahsyatnya dorongan kekuatan pahanya, pepohonan tumbang beserta pucuknya; dan oleh hantaman lengannya laksana gada, tebing-tebing batu yang tinggi pun hancur menjadi debu.

Word by Word

• ūru-vegena: by the force of (his) thighs
• ūru-vegena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūru (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'speed/force of the thighs'

• taravaḥ: trees
• taravaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Plural

• patanti: fall
• patanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Plural

• śikharaiḥ: with their tops/peaks
• śikharaiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3), Plural

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: Prepositional indeclinable (उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय) meaning 'together with'

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/शेष)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6), Singular

• dor-daṇḍa-ghātena: by the blow of his arm
• dor-daṇḍa-ghātena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dor (प्रातिपदिक) + daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + ghāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3), Singular; समास: dor-daṇḍa = कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष 'arm-staff/arm like a rod'; dor-daṇḍa-ghāta = तत्पुरुष 'blow of the arm-rod'

• cūrṇāḥ: pulverized
• cūrṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Plural; predicate adjective for 'śiloccayāḥ'

• syuḥ: would become/are made
• syuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• śilā-uccayāḥ: rock-masses
• śilā-uccayāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śilā (प्रातिपदिक) + uccaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'heaps/masses of rocks'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Continues vīrya-varṇana to intensify the need for refuge in Pati; implicitly teaches that worldly power (even mountain-crushing) is still within the māyic sphere and cannot grant mokṣa.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It portrays Shiva’s overwhelming śakti in a battle setting, teaching that the Supreme Pati alone can shatter the hardest obstacles (inner pasha/bondages and outer chaos) and restore dharma; remembering this inspires surrender and fearlessness in bhakti.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna Shiva—Shiva with manifest attributes—who protects devotees and destroys obstruction; Linga-worship is devotion to that same Supreme Reality, where the formless is approached through a sacred form and the Lord’s grace becomes accessible.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Shiva as the remover of obstacles while japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), ideally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, praying for inner strength to crush ego and karmic hardness like the crags described.