Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28

बाणासुरस्य क्रोधाज्ञा तथा अन्तःपुरयुद्धारम्भः

Bāṇāsura’s Wrathful Command and the Onset of Battle at the Inner Palace

Devanagari script

अयं शिवप्रसादाद्वै कृष्णपौत्रो महाबलः । अस्मांस्तृणोपमान् वेत्ति दष्टोपि भुजगैर्बलात्

Transliteration

ayaṃ śivaprasādādvai kṛṣṇapautro mahābalaḥ | asmāṃstṛṇopamān vetti daṣṭopi bhujagairbalāt

Translation

शिवकृपेने हा कृष्णाचा पौत्र अत्यंत महाबलवान आहे. सर्पांनी जोराने दंश केला तरी तो आम्हाला तृणासमानच मानतो.

Word by Word

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• शिव-प्रसादात्: from Śiva’s grace
• शिव-प्रसादात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); तृतीयातत्पुरुष? (determinative) compound used as base; ‘from/through Śiva’s grace’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) for emphasis/indeed

• कृष्ण-पौत्रः: Kṛṣṇa’s grandson
• कृष्ण-पौत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पौत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठीतत्पुरुष: ‘Kṛṣṇa’s grandson’

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying ‘अयम्’

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine/Feminine (common), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); 1st person pronoun

• तृण-उपमान्: as (mere) grass-like
• तृण-उपमान्: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक) + उपमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective to ‘अस्मान्’; ‘like grass’ (as comparison-standard)

• वेत्ति: knows/considers
• वेत्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• दष्टः: bitten
• दष्टः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंश् (धातु) → दष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); used with implied ‘सः’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) meaning ‘even/also’

• भुजगैः: by serpents
• भुजगैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुजग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial ablative ‘by force/forcibly’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Yuddhakhaṇḍa account to the sages, reporting the battlefield speech)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Krishna

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śiva-prasāda (Śiva’s grace) as the decisive source of fearlessness and strength—showing that when Pati (Śiva) bestows anugraha, the pashu-mind’s vulnerability to suffering and threat is transcended.

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

It points to Saguna Śiva as the accessible Lord who grants tangible protection and inner steadiness; Linga-worship is traditionally approached as seeking Śiva’s prasāda, by which devotees gain courage, clarity, and mastery over disturbances.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a prayer for śiva-prasāda, along with simple Śiva-upacāra (water offering to the Liṅga) to cultivate fearlessness and steadiness amid “serpent-like” trials.