Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 59

भद्रस्य दिव्यरथारोहणं शङ्खनादश्च — Bhadra’s Divine Chariot-Ascent and the Conch-Blast

Devanagari script

रक्तार्द्रवसना श्यामा हतशुंभेव कैशिकी । तस्मिन्महति संवृत्ते समरे भृशदारुणे

Transliteration

raktārdravasanā śyāmā hataśuṃbheva kaiśikī | tasminmahati saṃvṛtte samare bhṛśadāruṇe

Translation

കൈശികീ ശ്യാമവർണ്ണയായി, രക്തത്തിൽ നനഞ്ഞ വസ്ത്രധാരിണിയായി, ശുംബനെ വധിച്ചവളെന്നപോലെ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു. ആ മഹാസമരം പൂർണ്ണമായി പൊട്ടിപ്പുറപ്പെട്ടു അത്യന്തം ദാരുണമായപ്പോൾ, അവൾ ഉഗ്രശക്തിരൂപമായി നിലകൊണ്ടു.

Word by Word

• रक्तार्द्रवसना: whose garments were wet with blood
• रक्तार्द्रवसना: Karta-anvayi (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त + आर्द्र + वसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (yasya vasanaṃ raktārdram = whose garment is wet with blood); विशेषण कैशिकी-शब्दस्य

• श्यामा: dark/blackish
• श्यामा: Karta-anvayi (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• हतशुम्भा: slayer of Śumbha
• हतशुम्भा: Karta-anvayi (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत + शुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: ‘one who has slain Śumbha’ (Śumbha-hantṛtva); विशेषण कैशिकी-शब्दस्य

• इव: like/as if
• इव: Upamāna-dyotaka (उपमान-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• कैशिकी: Kaiśikī (the goddess)
• कैशिकी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैशिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष-नाम (proper name/title)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (m/n), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महति: great
• महति: Adhikaraṇa-anvayi (अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘समरे’ understood)

• संवृत्ते: having occurred
• संवृत्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + √वृत् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त (past passive participle), पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘having occurred/ensued’ (locative absolute with तस्मिन्…समरे)

• समरे: in the battle
• समरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• भृशदारुणे: exceedingly dreadful
• भृशदारुणे: Adhikaraṇa-anvayi (अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृश + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (bhṛśaṃ dāruṇaḥ = exceedingly dreadful); विशेषण समर-शब्दस्य

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Caṇḍikā

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Kaishiki
• Shumbha

FAQs

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

The verse portrays Kaiśikī as the decisive divine power that destroys adharma; in Shaiva Siddhanta terms, it reflects Śiva’s śakti operating in the world to restore dharma while remaining aligned with the supreme Pati.

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

Though the scene is martial, it supports Saguna worship by showing the Lord’s accessible, active power (śakti) protecting devotees and order; the Liṅga signifies the same supreme reality whose energy manifests as such protective and transformative force.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to invoke inner courage and purity, along with contemplating the destruction of one’s inner ‘Śumbha’—ego and arrogance—through Śiva-śakti’s grace.