Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10

देवर्षि-प्रश्नः तथा असुर-वध-हेतुनिवेदनम् | The Devas’ Petition and the Cause for Slaying Asuras

Devanagari script

तवैव कृपया शंभोस्सुराणां सुखमुत्तमम् । नाशयित्वाऽसुरान् घोराञ्जगत्स्वास्थ्यं सदाभयम्

Transliteration

tavaiva kṛpayā śaṃbhossurāṇāṃ sukhamuttamam | nāśayitvā'surān ghorāñjagatsvāsthyaṃ sadābhayam

Translation

ಹೇ ಶಂಭು! ನಿನ್ನ ಕೃಪೆಯಿಂದಲೇ ದೇವರಿಗೆ ಪರಮ ಸುಖ-ಶ್ರೇಯಸ್ಸು ದೊರೆಯುತ್ತದೆ. ಘೋರ ಅಸುರರನ್ನು ನಾಶಮಾಡಿ ನೀನು ಜಗತ್ತಿಗೆ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ, ಸೌಹಾರ್ದ ಮತ್ತು ಸದಾ ನಿರ್ಭಯತೆಯನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸುತ್ತೀ.

Word by Word

• तव: of you; your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• कृपया: by (your) grace
• कृपया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental singular

• शंभोः: of Śambhu
• शंभोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular (also can function as vocative in usage, but form is genitive)

• सुराणाम्: of the gods
• सुराणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; genitive plural

• सुखम्: happiness; welfare
• सुखम्: Karma (कर्म/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular

• उत्तमम्: supreme; excellent
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; superlative adjective qualifying सुखम्

• नाशयित्वा: having destroyed
• नाशयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नाशय् (णिजन्त from नश् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having destroyed’

• असुरान्: demons
• असुरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; accusative plural

• घोरान्: terrible
• घोरान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; adjective qualifying असुरान्

• जगत्स्वास्थ्यम्: the world’s well-being
• जगत्स्वास्थ्यम्: Karma (कर्म/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + स्वास्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; tatpuruṣa ‘well-being of the world’

• सदाभयम्: ever-fearless
• सदाभयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदा + अभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; avyayībhāva ‘always-fearless’ qualifying जगत्स्वास्थ्यम्

Speaker

Sati (addressing Lord Shiva as Śambhu)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas
• Asuras

FAQs

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

The verse centers Śiva as Pati (the Lord) whose kṛpā (grace) alone restores order and fearlessness. In a Śaiva Siddhānta lens, it points to the soul’s dependence on Śiva’s anugraha: when His grace removes obstructing forces, true well-being and inner abhaya arise.

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

Śiva is praised here in His saguna role as Śambhu—the auspicious protector who actively upholds dharma. Linga-worship similarly approaches Śiva as the accessible, worship-worthy presence through which His grace manifests as protection, stability, and the removal of fear.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is grace-centered bhakti: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and prayer for abhaya (fearlessness). If following Śaiva practice, this can be paired with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and simple linga-pūjā as a remembrance of Śiva’s protective anugraha.