Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

प्रदहद्रोदसी वेगात्तदासाद्य जलंधरम् । जहार तच्छिरो वेगान्महदायतलोचनम्

Transliteration

pradahadrodasī vegāttadāsādya jalaṃdharam | jahāra tacchiro vegānmahadāyatalocanam

Translation

燃えさかる勢いで、まるで二界を焼き尽くすかのごとく突進し、ジャランダラに到達すると、そのままの勢いで、あの大きく広い眼をもつ者の首を瞬く間に奪い去った。

Word by Word

• प्रदहत्: burning
• प्रदहत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र- दह् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग (कर्तरि)

• रोदसी: the two worlds (heaven and earth)
• रोदसी: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोदसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• वेगात्: from/with force
• वेगात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• आसाद्य: having reached/attacked
• आसाद्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ- सद् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• जलंधरम्: Jalandhara
• जलंधरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलंधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जहार: took away / severed
• जहार: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• तत्-शिरः: that head (his head)
• तत्-शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—कर्मधारय (तच्छिरः = तत् शिरः)

• वेगात्: by force
• वेगात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• महत्-आयत-लोचनम्: having large, long eyes
• महत्-आयत-लोचनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आयत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (आयतलोचन = आयते लोचने यस्य/यत्), उपपद-समासभाव

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Characters & Entities

• Jalandhara

FAQs

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

The beheading of Jalandhara symbolizes the decisive destruction of adharma and the severing of ahaṅkāra (ego) when it stands opposed to Pati (Shiva’s sovereign order). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, the Lord’s grace removes the pasha-like bondage that manifests as pride and tyranny.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Shiva’s active, protective power in history—Shiva as the accessible Lord who intervenes to restore cosmic balance. Linga worship trains devotion toward that same supreme reality: the formless Absolute honored through a tangible, merciful form that safeguards devotees and dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” paired with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) remembrance—meditating that Shiva’s grace ‘cuts off’ inner arrogance and harmful impulses as cleanly as the verse depicts the downfall of Jalandhara.