Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 33

भूतत्रिपुरधर्मवर्णनम् (Description of the Dharma/Conduct of the Bhūta-Tripura) — Chapter 3

Devanagari script

गत्वा दग्ध्वा च भित्त्वा च भङ्क्त्वा दैत्यपुरत्रयम् । पुनर्यथागता भूतागंतुमर्हथ भूतये

Transliteration

gatvā dagdhvā ca bhittvā ca bhaṅktvā daityapuratrayam | punaryathāgatā bhūtāgaṃtumarhatha bhūtaye

Translation

जाऊन दैत्यांच्या त्या त्रिपुरांचा दहन करा, भेद करा आणि चुरडून टाका। मग ज्या मार्गाने गेलात त्याच मार्गाने परत येऊन, हे भूतगण, सर्व भूतांच्या कल्याणार्थ पुन्हा या।

Word by Word

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having gone'

• दग्ध्वा: having burned
• दग्ध्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dah (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त: 'having burned'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• भित्त्वा: having broken open
• भित्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhid (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त: 'having split/broken'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• भङ्क्त्वा: having shattered
• भङ्क्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj/bhañj (धातु; भञ्ज्)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त: 'having smashed/destroyed'

• दैत्य-पुर-त्रयम्: the three demon cities
• दैत्य-पुर-त्रयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक) + pura (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (determinative): 'दैत्यानां पुराणां त्रयम्' = 'the triad of demon-cities'

• पुनः: again, back
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति/कालवाचक अव्यय (again/then back)

• यथा-गताः: as before / as you had gone
• यथा-गताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + gata (प्रातिपदिक; √gam धातु से क्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव: 'यथा गत' = 'as (you) went/according to former state'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'भूताः')

• भूताः: O beings (bhūtas)
• भूताः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा (vocative sense)

• गन्तुम्: to go (back)
• गन्तुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive): 'to go/return'

• अर्हथ: you should / you are to
• अर्हथ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; 'you should/are fit to'

• भूतये: for welfare/prosperity
• भूतये: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; दान/प्रयोजनार्थ (for the sake of)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (issuing command to his attendant hosts in the context of Tripuradāha)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tripurāntaka

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Tripura (three demon cities)
• Daityas (demons)
• Bhūtas (Shiva’s attendant beings)

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva’s cosmic function as Pati: he commands the forces of transformation to destroy Tripura—symbolic of entrenched ignorance and bondage—so that the world-order and the welfare of beings (bhūti) are restored.

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

Tripuradāha is a Saguna-līlā where Shiva acts as the protector and purifier of the cosmos; Linga worship contemplates the same Lord as the inner fire that burns impurities and re-establishes dharma, leading the devotee from form to the formless Reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner destroyer of the ‘three cities’ (egoic strongholds) while japa-ing the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”; optionally apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder that all impurities are to be reduced to sacred ash by Shiva’s grace.