Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

भद्रस्य देवसंघेषु विक्रमः

Bhadra’s Onslaught among the Deva Hosts

Devanagari script

उत्पाटितसुरानीकं हन्यमानं तपोधनम् । प्रशान्तब्रह्मनिर्घोषं प्रक्षीणजनसंचयम्

Transliteration

utpāṭitasurānīkaṃ hanyamānaṃ tapodhanam | praśāntabrahmanirghoṣaṃ prakṣīṇajanasaṃcayam

Translation

ദേവസൈന്യം ചിതറിപ്പോയി; തപോധനവും പ്രഹരിക്കപ്പെട്ടു ക്ഷയിച്ചു. ബ്രഹ്മനാദം ശമിച്ചു; ജനസമൂഹം അത്യന്തം കുറയുകയും ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• उत्पाटित-सुर-अनीकम्: with the host of gods scattered
• उत्पाटित-सुर-अनीकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्पाटित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; उत्+पट्/पाट् धातु, क्त) + सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अनीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘army of gods uprooted/scattered’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (तपोधनम् इति विशेषण)

• हन्यमानम्: being struck/attacked
• हन्यमानम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय (present passive participle), कर्मणि; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (तपोधनम् इति विशेषण)

• तपो-धनम्: the ascetic (rich in austerity)
• तपो-धनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘wealth in austerity’ → ‘ascetic’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रशान्त-ब्रह्म-निर्घोषम्: with Vedic chanting silenced
• प्रशान्त-ब्रह्म-निर्घोषम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशान्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; प्र+शम् धातु, क्त) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्घोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘sound of Vedic recitation stilled’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (तपोधनम् इति विशेषण)

• प्रक्षीण-जन-संचयम्: with the gathering of people thinned out
• प्रक्षीण-जन-संचयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रक्षीण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; प्र+क्षि धातु, क्त) + जन (प्रातिपदिक) + संचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘crowd of people diminished’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (तपोधनम् इति विशेषण)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; depicts the silencing of Vedic proclamation when yajña is severed from its rightful Lord, illustrating that śabda (brahma-nirghoṣa) without īśvara-bhāva loses efficacy.

Significance: Teaches that Veda/karma must be integrated with Śiva as Pati; otherwise the ‘brahma-sound’ becomes praśānta (stilled) and the community disperses.

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Tapodhana (ascetics/sages)
• Brahman (Vedic sacred sound)

FAQs

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

It depicts a collapse of dharmic order—devas scattered, ascetic power harmed, and Vedic sacred sound stilled—implying that when pasha (bondage/chaos) dominates, only Pati (Shiva) can re-establish spiritual equilibrium and protect the path to liberation.

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

In Shaiva understanding, the Linga signifies Shiva as the stabilizing reality behind disturbed worlds; when outer supports (social order, ritual sound, institutions) weaken, devotion to Saguna Shiva through Linga-worship becomes a direct refuge that reconnects the seeker to Pati and restores inner dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to strengthen the ‘brahma-nirghoṣa’ through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha, to steady the mind and reawaken sacred sound amid turmoil.