Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

अनिरुद्धापहरणानन्तरं कृष्णस्य शोणितपुरगमनम् तथा रुद्रकृष्णयुद्धारम्भः | After Aniruddha’s Abduction: Kṛṣṇa Marches to Śoṇitapura and the Rudra–Kṛṣṇa Battle Begins

Devanagari script

एवं प्रद्युम्नप्रमुखा वीरा युद्धमहोत्सवाः । चक्रुर्युद्धं महाघोरं शत्रुसैन्यं विनाशयन्

Transliteration

evaṃ pradyumnapramukhā vīrā yuddhamahotsavāḥ | cakruryuddhaṃ mahāghoraṃ śatrusainyaṃ vināśayan

Translation

अशा रीतीने प्रद्युम्नप्रमुख वीरांनी युद्धालाच जणू महोत्सव मानून, शत्रुसैन्याचा नाश करीत अत्यंत घोर संग्राम केला।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus)

• प्रद्युम्नप्रमुखाः: those headed by Pradyumna
• प्रद्युम्नप्रमुखाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रद्युम्न-प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘प्रद्युम्नः प्रमुखः येषाम्’)

• वीराः: heroes
• वीराः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• युद्धमहोत्सवाः: for whom battle was a great festival
• युद्धमहोत्सवाः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्ध-महोत्सव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (‘युद्धं महोत्सव इव येषाम्’)

• चक्रुः: did / waged
• चक्रुः: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदी

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महाघोरम्: very terrible
• महाघोरम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-घोर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् घोरः)

• शत्रुसैन्यम्: the enemy army
• शत्रुसैन्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; of vināśayan)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु-सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शत्रोः सैन्यम्)

• विनाशयन्: destroying
• विनाशयन्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial participle to चक्रुः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (agreeing with implied singular collective/leader; sense: while destroying)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Pradyumna

FAQs

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

It portrays dharma in action: courage and disciplined effort can be offered to the Supreme (Shiva as Pati), while the seeker remains inwardly steady—turning even fierce struggle into a purposeful, duty-bound act rather than ego-driven violence.

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

In the Yuddhakhaṇḍa, the battlefield setting highlights Saguna Shiva’s governance of order and protection of dharma; devotion to Shiva (often centered on the Liṅga) supports steadiness, restraint, and right intention even amid intense worldly duties.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to stabilize the mind, and adopt Tripuṇḍra-bhasma as a reminder of impermanence—so action remains courageous yet detached, aligned to dharma.