Shloka 41

शिवशङ्खचूडयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Battle between Śiva and Śaṅkhacūḍa

Devanagari script

ततः कालीं चखादोग्रं दंष्ट्राक्षुण्णशिरोधरान् । असुरांस्तान् बहून् क्रोधात् प्रसार्य स्वमुखं तदा

Transliteration

tataḥ kālīṃ cakhādograṃ daṃṣṭrākṣuṇṇaśirodharān | asurāṃstān bahūn krodhāt prasārya svamukhaṃ tadā

Translation

പിന്നീട് ഉഗ്രയായ കാളി ക്രോധവേഗത്തിൽ സ്വന്തം വായ് വിശാലമായി തുറന്ന്, ദംഷ്ട്രകളാൽ ചതഞ്ഞ കഴുത്തും ശിരസ്സും ഉള്ള ആ അനേകം അസുരന്മാരെ വിഴുങ്ങി।

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कालीम्: Kālī
• कालीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• चखाद: devoured/ate
• चखाद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खाद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• उग्रम्: fierce/terrible
• उग्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण (qualifier)

• दंष्ट्रा: with (her) fangs
• दंष्ट्रा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṃṣṭrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg.)

• आक्षुण्ण: crushed/smashed
• आक्षुण्ण: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-क्षुद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषण

• शिरोधरान्: head-bearers (i.e., those with heads)
• शिरोधरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiro-dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: शिरसः धराः), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.)

• असुरान्: demons
• असुरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.)

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.)

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषण

• क्रोधात्: from/through anger
• क्रोधात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Abl. 5), एकवचन (sg.)

• प्रसार्य: having spread/extended
• प्रसार्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√sṛ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• स्व: own
• स्व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्राय विशेषण (indeclinable-like adjective), स्वत्ववाचक (possessive)

• मुखम्: mouth
• मुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Āghoramūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Kali
• Asuras

FAQs

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

The verse portrays Kāli as Shiva’s śakti acting to remove asuric forces that symbolize ego, हिंसा, and bondage (pāśa). In Shaiva Siddhanta, such destruction is protective grace—clearing obstacles so the soul (paśu) may turn toward Pati (Shiva) and dharma.

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

Kāli’s fierce action reflects Saguna divinity—Shiva with śakti—actively safeguarding cosmic order. Linga-worship honors Shiva as the supreme Pati, while the Goddess’s battle-form shows how His power manifests to subdue negativity and restore conditions conducive to devotion and right conduct.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is protective japa and grounding devotion: steady repetition of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a disciplined mind to conquer inner asuric tendencies. Where customary, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa support remembrance of Shiva’s protection, though this verse itself is primarily narrative rather than prescriptive.