Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

तारकवाक्य-शक्रविष्णुवीरभद्रयुद्धवर्णनम् — Account of Tāraka’s declarations and the battle involving Śakra (Indra), Viṣṇu, and Vīrabhadra

Devanagari script

एवं येन कृतं पापं वेदमार्गं विसृज्य वै । स कथं विजयेद्युद्धे भवेद्धर्मवतांवरः

Transliteration

evaṃ yena kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ vedamārgaṃ visṛjya vai | sa kathaṃ vijayedyuddhe bhaveddharmavatāṃvaraḥ

Translation

ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ຜູ້ທີ່ໄດ້ກະທຳບາບໂດຍການລະຖິ້ມເສັ້ນທາງແຫ່ງພຣະເວດ ເຂົາຈະໄດ້ຮັບໄຊຊະນະໃນສະໜາມຮົບ ຫຼື ກາຍເປັນຜູ້ທີ່ປະເສີດທີ່ສຸດໃນບັນດາຜູ້ມີທຳໄດ້ແນວໃດ?

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• येन: by whom/whereby
• येन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• कृतम्: done/committed
• कृतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• वेदमार्गम्: the path of the Veda
• वेदमार्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative) ‘वेदस्य मार्गः’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• विसृज्य: having abandoned
• विसृज्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha-nipāta (सम्बन्ध-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/निश्चयार्थ (emphatic)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• विजयेत्: could win
• विजयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + जि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• भवेत्: could be
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धर्मवताम्: of the righteous
• धर्मवताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘धर्मवान्’ इत्यस्य बहुवचन-षष्ठी

• वरः: the best
• वरः: Pradhāna-nāma (प्रधान-नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता/प्रातिपदिकार्थ), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the purāṇic teaching to the sages, consistent with Rudrasaṃhitā discourse style)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

FAQs

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

The verse asserts a karma-and-dharma principle: abandoning the śruti-guided path and committing pāpa undermines both outer success (victory) and inner worthiness (being counted among the truly dhārmic). In a Śaiva Siddhānta lens, dharma supports purification (mala-kṣaya) and prepares the soul for Shiva’s grace.

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

Linga/Saguṇa-Śiva worship in the Shiva Purana is not a license to bypass dharma; it is meant to restore and uphold it. True devotion includes right conduct—so turning from the Vedic-dharmic way contradicts the very purpose of Shiva-bhakti and weakens the devotee’s śakti and protection.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is repentance and return to dharma through Shiva-upāsanā: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), wearing vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) with reverence, and disciplined conduct (niyama) aligned with śāstra.