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Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 2

त्रिपुरदाहवर्णनम् | Tripura-dāha-varṇanam

Description of the Burning of Tripura

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । अथ शम्भुर्महादेवो रथस्थस्सर्वसंयुतः । त्रिपुरं सकलं दग्धुमुद्यतोऽभूत्सुरद्विषाम् । शीर्षं स्थानकमास्थाय संधाय च शरोत्तमम् । सज्जं तत्कार्मुकं कृत्वा प्रत्यालीढं महाद्भुतम्

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | atha śambhurmahādevo rathasthassarvasaṃyutaḥ | tripuraṃ sakalaṃ dagdhumudyato'bhūtsuradviṣām | śīrṣaṃ sthānakamāsthāya saṃdhāya ca śarottamam | sajjaṃ tatkārmukaṃ kṛtvā pratyālīḍhaṃ mahādbhutam

Translation

സനത്കുമാരൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അപ്പോൾ രഥസ്ഥനായി, സർവായുധങ്ങളാൽ സജ്ജനായ മഹാദേവൻ ശംഭു, ദേവദ്വേഷികളുടെ ത്രിപുരം മുഴുവനായി ദഹിപ്പാൻ ഉത്സുകനായി. ‘ശീർഷ-സ്ഥാനക’മെന്ന ദൃഢഭംഗി സ്വീകരിച്ച് ശ്രേഷ്ഠശരം സംധാനം ചെയ്തു; ധനുസ്സിനെ സജ്ജമാക്കി അത്ഭുതമായ ‘പ്രത്യാലീഢ’ നിലയിൽ നിന്നു.

Word by Word
सनत्कुमारःSanatkumāra
सनत्कुमारः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसनत् + कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘सनत् (पुरातनः) कुमारः’
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)
शम्भुःŚambhu (Śiva)
शम्भुः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootशम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
महादेवःMahādeva
महादेवः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘महान् देवः’
रथस्थःstanding on the chariot
रथस्थः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootरथ + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: ‘रथे स्थितः’
सर्वसंयुतःfully equipped/with all (aids)
सर्वसंयुतः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुष: ‘सर्वैः संयुतः/समन्वितः’
त्रिपुरम्Tripura
त्रिपुरम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootत्रिपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
सकलम्entire/whole
सकलम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसकल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण
दग्धुम्to burn
दग्धुम्:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Rootदह् (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive (तुमन्त), ‘to burn’
उद्यतःready/intent
उद्यतः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootउद्यत (प्रातिपदिक; √यम् with उद्-, क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally): ‘raised/ready’
अभूत्became/was
अभूत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलुङ् (अद्यतनभूत/aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
सुरद्विषाम्of the enemies of the gods
सुरद्विषाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootसुर + द्विष् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘सुरान् द्विषन्ति ये’ (enemies of the gods)
शीर्षम्head
शीर्षम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशीर्षन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
स्थानकम्posture/stance
स्थानकम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्थानक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
आस्थायhaving assumed
आस्थाय:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootआ + स्था (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having assumed/taken’
संधायhaving fixed/strung
संधाय:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + धा (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having fitted/placed/strung’
चand
च:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात
शरोत्तमम्the best arrow
शरोत्तमम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशर + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘उत्तमः शरः’
सज्जम्ready/prepared
सज्जम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसज्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण
तत्that
तत्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण
कार्मुकम्bow
कार्मुकम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकार्मुक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
कृत्वाhaving made
कृत्वा:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having made’
प्रत्यालीढम्in pratyālīḍha stance
प्रत्यालीढम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रति + आलीढ (प्रातिपदिक; √लिह्/लीढ, क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; (archery stance) ‘with the feet set in pratyālīḍha posture’
महाद्भुतम्very wonderful
महाद्भुतम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहा + अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘महद् अद्भुतम्’
Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tripurāntaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Tripuradahana is staged as a cosmic rite: Śiva mounts the chariot (often interpreted as the cosmos/adhvā), assumes martial-yogic postures, and prepares the single decisive arrow that ends the asuric stronghold.

Significance: Meditation on Tripurāntaka’s ‘single-pointed’ preparation is used to inspire ekāgratā and vairāgya; the myth is read as burning the ‘three cities’ of mala-traya (āṇava, kārma, māyīya) by Śiva’s grace.

Characters & Entities
S
Shiva
S
Shambhu
M
Mahadeva
T
Tripura

FAQs

Tripura represents layered impurity and bondage; Śiva’s poised, disciplined archery symbolizes the Lord (Pati) deliberately destroying the pasha (bonds) that obstruct the soul (pashu) from liberation, showing that divine grace acts with perfect order and purpose.

Though the Linga points to the transcendent (nirguṇa) reality, this verse highlights Saguna Śiva—the compassionate Lord manifesting form, stance, and action to protect dharma and remove obstacles, encouraging devotees to approach him through concrete worship and remembrance.

The verse suggests focused one-pointedness (ekāgratā): meditate on Śiva as the inner archer who aims at ego and impurity; support this with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and a simple Tripuṇḍra/bhasma practice as a reminder of purification and surrender.

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