Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 11

वीरभद्र–देवयुद्धवर्णनम्

Vīrabhadra and the Battle with the Devas

Devanagari script

शक्त्या जघान चाश्मानं शुचिः परमकोपनः । सोपि शूलेन तं वेगाच्छितधारेण पावकम्

Transliteration

śaktyā jaghāna cāśmānaṃ śuciḥ paramakopanaḥ | sopi śūlena taṃ vegācchitadhāreṇa pāvakam

Translation

Kemudian Śuci, yang menyala dengan amarah yang amat dahsyat, memukul Dewa Api (Agni) dengan senjata seperti tombak, seakan melontar batu. Api juga segera membalas, menghentamnya dengan trisula bermata tajam dengan laju yang kuat. Maka pertembungan mereka pun bergelora dengan daya yang ganas dalam gelanggang pertempuran para dewa.

Word by Word

• शक्त्या: with a spear/weapon (śakti)
• शक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• जघान: struck/killed
• जघान: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अश्मानम्: a stone/rock
• अश्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• शुचिः: pure/bright
• शुचिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• परम-कोपनः: extremely wrathful
• परम-कोपनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + कोपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (परमः कोपनः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: also)

• शूलेन: with a spear/trident
• शूलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वेगात्: from/with speed
• वेगात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान/हेतु (from/owing to speed)

• छित-धारेण: with a sharpened edge
• छित-धारेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + धार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (छिता धारा यस्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; शूलेन इति विशेषण

• पावकम्: Pāvaka (Agni/fire)
• पावकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga setting. The exchange of śakti-weapon and triśūla between Śuci and Agni dramatizes how even elemental deities are bound within karmic conflict—paśu-level agency under Pati’s overarching ordinance.

Significance: Instructional: do not absolutize Agni (ritual fire) or any deva as final refuge; only Śiva’s anugraha resolves the cycle of retaliatory violence.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Elemental fury within divine battle (Agni’s fiery agency in war)

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Pāvaka)
• Śuci

FAQs

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

The verse depicts a surge of wrath and retaliation, illustrating how uncontrolled krodha (anger) binds beings to conflict. From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, it contrasts the turbulence of the limited self (paśu) with the ideal of surrender to Pati (Shiva), where passions are purified and transcended.

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

Though the verse is a battle episode, it indirectly supports Saguna Shiva worship by showing that divine order is restored not by egoic force but by alignment with Shiva’s will. Linga-worship symbolizes centering consciousness in Shiva—the stable axis—so reactive impulses like anger do not rule the mind.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is anger-transformation through japa and restraint: repeat the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with steady breath, and apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of impermanence—cooling the inner “fire” of agitation into devotion.