Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 25

शङ्खचूडस्य मायायुद्धं तथा माहेश्वरास्त्रप्रभावः | Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Māyā-Warfare and the Power of the Māheśvara Astra

Devanagari script

तेजसां चक्रमत्युग्रं सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रसायकम् । सुरासुराणां सर्वेषां दुस्सहं च भयंकरम्

Transliteration

tejasāṃ cakramatyugraṃ sarvaśastrāstrasāyakam | surāsurāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ dussahaṃ ca bhayaṃkaram

Translation

അത് തേജസ്സിന്റെ അത്യുഗ്രമായ ചക്രം—സകല ശസ്ത്രങ്ങളും അസ്ത്രങ്ങളും ബാണങ്ങളും അതിൽ തന്നെയെന്നപോലെ. ദേവന്മാരും അസുരന്മാരും എല്ലാവർക്കും അത് അസഹ്യവും ഭയങ്കരവും ആയിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तेजसाम्: of energies/splendors
• तेजसाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चक्रम्: discus/wheel
• चक्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; described entity)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अति-उग्रम्: exceedingly fierce
• अति-उग्रम्: विशेषण (to चक्रम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (अत्यन्तं उग्रम्)

• सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रसायकम्: (having the power of) all weapons, missiles, and arrows
• सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रसायकम्: विशेषण (to चक्रम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-शस्त्र-अस्त्र-सायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (शस्त्र+अस्त्र+सायक) with सर्व- उपपद

• सुरासुराणाम्: of gods and demons
• सुरासुराणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (सुराः च असुराः)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: सम्बन्ध-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषण (to सुरासुराणाम्)

• दुस्सहम्: hard to endure
• दुस्सहम्: विशेषण (to चक्रम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्-सह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (दुर् + सह)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• भयंकरम्: terrifying
• भयंकरम्: विशेषण (to चक्रम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुष (भयं करोति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Asuras

FAQs

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

The verse portrays an overwhelming, fearsome divine force that none—deva or asura—can withstand, pointing to the Shaiva Siddhanta idea that all powers ultimately arise under the Lord’s sovereignty and humble both pride and aggression.

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

In Saguna worship, Shiva’s majesty is contemplated as protective and world-ordering power; the same supreme reality adored in the Liṅga is here seen as manifesting irresistible might that restores dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while visualizing Shiva’s protective radiance dissolving fear and hostility, supported by wearing rudrākṣa and applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as reminders of Shiva’s supremacy.