Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21
कार्तिकेयलीलावर्णनम्
Narration of Kārttikeya’s Divine Play
दशपद्ममिता वीरा राक्षसाः पूर्वमागताः । तद्वधार्थं द्रुतं नष्टा बभूवुस्तत्प्रहारतः
daśapadmamitā vīrā rākṣasāḥ pūrvamāgatāḥ | tadvadhārthaṃ drutaṃ naṣṭā babhūvustatprahārataḥ
മുമ്പേ പത്ത് പദ്മം എണ്ണമുള്ള വീരരാക്ഷസർ എത്തിയിരുന്നു. എന്നാൽ അവനെ വധിക്കാനായി അവർ പാഞ്ഞെത്തിയപ്പോൾ, അവന്റെ തന്നെ പ്രഹാരങ്ങളാൽ അവർ ഉടൻ നശിച്ചു.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Rudra
Role: destructive
FAQs
It portrays the swift defeat of adharma: even vast demonic forces collapse when they confront divinely empowered dharma. In Shaiva understanding, Shiva’s grace (working through his divine agencies) neutralizes destructive tendencies and restores cosmic order.
Though the scene is martial, it reflects Saguna Shiva’s protective function—Shiva’s power manifests through his divine forms and allies to remove obstacles to dharma. Linga-worship remembers this same Pati (Lord) as the source of protection and victory over inner and outer negativity.
A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) for protection and steadiness, accompanied by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as Shaiva disciplines to subdue ‘rākṣasa-like’ impulses such as anger, violence, and pride.