Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

त्रिशूलं च समुद्यम्य वीरभद्रः प्रतापवान् । तारकं दितिजाधीशं जघान प्रसभं बली

Transliteration

triśūlaṃ ca samudyamya vīrabhadraḥ pratāpavān | tārakaṃ ditijādhīśaṃ jaghāna prasabhaṃ balī

Translation

ແລ້ວ ວີຣະພັດຣະ ຜູ້ມີລິດເດດສະຫງ່າງາມ ຍົກຕຣິຊູນຂຶ້ນ ແລະຟັນລົງຢ່າງແຮງ ສັງຫານ ຕາຣະກະ ຈອມເຈົ້າແຫ່ງດານະວະ ດ້ວຍພະລັງອັນຫ້າມບໍ່ໄດ້។

Word by Word

• त्रिशूलम्: trident
• त्रिशूलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चय (conjunction)

• समुद्यम्य: having raised
• समुद्यम्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/Gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-यम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having lifted/raised’

• वीरभद्रः: Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• प्रतापवान्: mighty / valorous
• प्रतापवान्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Adjective agreeing with कर्ता

• तारकम्: Tāraka
• तारकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• दितिजाधीशम्: lord of the Diti-born (demons)
• दितिजाधीशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दितिज+अधीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular; समासः तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘lord of the Diti-born (demons)’

• जघान: struck down / slew
• जघान: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, 3rd person singular; परस्मैपद

• प्रसभम्: forcibly
• प्रसभम्: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रसभम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘forcibly/violently’

• बली: the strong one
• बली: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Adjective used substantively/qualifying the subject

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Tāraka
• Trishula

FAQs

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

It portrays Shiva’s śakti working through his fierce attendant Vīrabhadra to subdue adharmic power; symbolically, the Triśūla cuts the threefold bondage (āṇava, karma, māyā) that binds the soul, restoring dharma and inner order.

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

Though the Linga signifies Shiva beyond form, the narrative highlights Saguna Shiva’s protective governance through his energies and attendants; devotion to the Linga is complemented by remembering Shiva as the active Lord (Pati) who removes obstacles to liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva’s Triśūla as the power that pierces the three impurities, and chant the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and surrender.