Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38

रुद्रस्य रणप्रवेशः तथा दैत्यगणानां बाणवृष्टिः

Rudra Enters the Battlefield; the Daityas’ Arrow-Storm

Devanagari script

युद्धे शुंभनिशुंभाख्यौ स्थापयित्वा महाबलौ । दशदोर्दण्डपंचास्यस्त्रिनेत्रश्च जटाधरः

Transliteration

yuddhe śuṃbhaniśuṃbhākhyau sthāpayitvā mahābalau | daśadordaṇḍapaṃcāsyastrinetraśca jaṭādharaḥ

Translation

戦場において、名高き大力のシュンバとニシュンバを配したのち、畏るべき神威の戦士が立ち現れた――十の腕、五つの顔、三つの眼、そしてジャターの結髪を戴き、法（ダルマ）を護るため主のサグナの威力を顕した。

Word by Word

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• शुम्भनिशुम्भाख्यौ: (the two) named Śumbha and Niśumbha
• शुम्भनिशुम्भाख्यौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुम्भ-निशुम्भ-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (शुम्भश्च निशुम्भश्च) + आख्य (named)

• स्थापयित्वा: having stationed
• स्थापयित्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → स्थापय + त्वा
• Form: णिजन्त-धातोः क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव (causative gerund): 'having stationed/placed'

• महाबलौ: very strong (two)
• महाबलौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय (महत् बलं यस्य)

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या; अव्ययवत्)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral); समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण (as first member in compound)

• दोर्: arms
• दोर्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोर्/दोः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (क्वचित् पुं), प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासपूर्वपद; 'arm')

• दण्ड: staff/club
• दण्ड: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासमध्यपद (club/rod)

• पञ्चास्यः: five-faced
• पञ्चास्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च-आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च आस्यानि यस्य)

• त्रिनेत्रः: three-eyed
• त्रिनेत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि-नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि नेत्राणि यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• जटाधरः: the matted-hair bearer
• जटाधरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा-धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जटां धरति/जटायाः धरः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shumbha
• Nishumbha

FAQs

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

It highlights Shiva’s saguna manifestation—multi-armed, five-faced, and three-eyed—as compassionate power that intervenes to uphold dharma; in Shaiva Siddhanta, such forms express Pati (the Lord) protecting bound souls (paśu) from the forces of bondage (pāśa) represented by adharma.

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

Though the Liṅga is the timeless sign of Shiva’s transcendence, this verse emphasizes Saguna Shiva—Shiva with attributes—who becomes approachable in iconographic forms (pañcāsya, trinetra, jaṭādhara) for devotion, meditation, and protection within sacred narrative.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as Trinetra and Panchāsya while chanting the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” visualizing the third eye as the fire of discernment that burns ignorance; optionally apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of impermanence and Shiva’s guardianship.