Shloka 14
देव-गण-समरः
Devas and Śiva’s Gaṇas Engage in Battle
पराजितान्स्वकान्दृष्ट्वा वीरभद्रो रुषान्वितः । भूतप्रेतपिशाचांश्च कृत्वा तानेव पृष्ठतः
parājitānsvakāndṛṣṭvā vīrabhadro ruṣānvitaḥ | bhūtapretapiśācāṃśca kṛtvā tāneva pṛṣṭhataḥ
സ്വസൈന്യം പരാജിതമായതു കണ്ടു ക്രോധം നിറഞ്ഞ വീരഭദ്രൻ ആ ശത്രുക്കളെയേ ഭൂത-പ്രേത-പിശാചുകളാക്കി, തന്റെ പിന്നിൽ അനുചരന്മാരായി ഓടിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുപോയി।
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: destructive
FAQs
The verse highlights how adharmic opposition to Śiva’s will collapses under divine agency: Vīrabhadra’s fury represents Śiva’s protective power that restores dharma, and the transformation into lower spirit-states underscores the karmic consequence of arrogance and hostility toward the divine.
Vīrabhadra is a Saguna manifestation—Śiva acting within name-and-form to correct imbalance. For devotees, it reinforces that Linga-worship is not merely symbolic: the Linga signifies the Lord who can be both tranquil and fierce, bestowing grace on the devoted and restraining adharmic forces.
The practical takeaway is to cultivate humility and Śiva-bhakti through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined purity (e.g., Tripuṇḍra/bhasma with reverence), so one aligns with Śiva’s grace rather than the ego that leads to downfall.