Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15
भद्रस्य देवसंघेषु विक्रमः
Bhadra’s Onslaught among the Deva Hosts
निर्बिभेद रणे वीरो लीलयैव गणेश्वरः । सर्वान्देवगणान्सद्यो मुनीञ्छंभोर्विरोधिनः
nirbibheda raṇe vīro līlayaiva gaṇeśvaraḥ | sarvāndevagaṇānsadyo munīñchaṃbhorvirodhinaḥ
യുദ്ധത്തിൽ വീരനായ ഗണേശ്വരൻ ലീലാമാത്രത്തിൽ തന്നെ അവരെ ഭേദിച്ചു; ശംഭുവിനെ വിരോധിച്ച എല്ലാ ദേവഗണങ്ങളെയും മുനികളെയും ഉടൻ തന്നെ ദമിപ്പിച്ചു।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra
Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; highlights the effortless (līlā) dominance of Śiva’s gaṇa-lord over devas and even opposing sages, underscoring that tapas/ritual power without Śiva-alignment remains within bondage.
FAQs
It highlights that when beings act from opposition to Śiva (Pati), even divine status and ascetic power cannot prevail; true strength arises from alignment and surrender to Śambhu, not from ego-driven resistance.
The verse reinforces Saguna Śiva’s sovereign order: those who oppose Śambhu are checked by his śakti manifesting as Gaṇeśa. Linga-worship embodies this principle of accepting Śiva as the supreme Lord and harmonizing one’s will with his grace.
A practical takeaway is humility and śaraṇāgati (surrender) supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and seeking Gaṇeśa’s anugraha at the start of worship to remove the obstacle of opposition-born ego.