Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 66

राहोः शिरच्छेदन-कारणकथनम् / The Account of Rāhu’s Beheading

Cause and Background

Devanagari script

तदैव सर्वेष्वसुरोऽधिकारेष्विन्द्रादिकानां विनिवेश्य सम्यक् । शुंभादिकान्दैत्यवरान् पृथक्पृथक्स्वयं सुवर्णादिगुहां व्यगान्मुने

Transliteration

tadaiva sarveṣvasuro'dhikāreṣvindrādikānāṃ viniveśya samyak | śuṃbhādikāndaityavarān pṛthakpṛthaksvayaṃ suvarṇādiguhāṃ vyagānmune

Translation

ໃນຂະນະນັ້ນເອງ ອະສຸຣະໄດ້ຈັດຕັ້ງອິນທຣາ ແລະເທວະອື່ນໆ ໃຫ້ຢູ່ໃນອຳນາດໜ້າທີ່ຂອງຕົນຢ່າງຖືກຕ້ອງ; ແລ້ວກໍຕັ້ງໄດຕະຍະຜູ້ເລີດເຊັ່ນ ຊຸມພະ ໃຫ້ປະຈຳຕາມຈຸດຕ່າງໆ ແຍກກັນ; ແລະຕົນເອງ ໂອ ມຸນີ ໄດ້ໄປຫາຖ້ຳທີ່ເອີ້ນວ່າ ສຸວັນນະ ແລະອື່ນໆ.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अधिकारेषु: posts/positions of authority
• अधिकारेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• असुरः: the asura (demon)
• असुरः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• इन्द्र-आदिकानाम्: of Indra and the others
• इन्द्र-आदिकानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation) — object-group for placement
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + (समूहवाचक) क (प्रातिपदिक-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural) — ‘इन्द्रादयः’ (Indra and others) → इन्द्रादिकाः

• विनिवेश्य: having installed/placed
• विनिवेश्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि-नि-विश् (धातु) → विनिवेश्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) — ‘having placed/installed’

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• शुम्भ-आदिकान्: Śumbha and others
• शुम्भ-आदिकान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रातिपदिक-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural) — ‘शुम्भादयः’ → शुम्भादिकान्

• दैत्य-वरान्: the foremost demons
• दैत्य-वरान्: कर्म (Karma/Object) — apposition to शुम्भादिकान्
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural) — कर्मधारय: ‘श्रेष्ठाः दैत्याः’ (best of demons)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — repetition indicates distributive sense

• पृथक्: each separately
• पृथक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — second member of repetition

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Emphasis on subject)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-अव्यय (reflexive/emphatic adverb)

• सुवर्ण-आदि-गुहाम्: the Suvarṇa(-mountain) cave
• सुवर्ण-आदि-गुहाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) — goal of motion
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular) — ‘सुवर्णादि-’ = ‘सुवर्ण (नाम) आदि यस्य’/‘सुवर्णाद्रि-’ इत्यर्थे पाठभेद-सदृश; cave named/connected with Suvarṇa etc.

• व्यगात्: went
• व्यगात्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Shumbha

FAQs

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

It contrasts asuric governance—control, redistribution of power, and strategic occupation—with the Shaiva view that true sovereignty belongs to Pati (Shiva) alone; worldly offices shift, but liberation comes through taking refuge in Shiva beyond such changing authorities.

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

The verse shows instability in cosmic administration under demonic influence; Linga-worship and devotion to Saguna Shiva are presented in the Shiva Purana as the stable refuge that restores dharma when external structures (like Indra’s rule) are overturned.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical Shaiva takeaway is to steady the mind with Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and maintain Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudraksha as protective disciplines, especially during times of fear, conflict, or social upheaval.