Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38

द्वन्द्वयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Duel-Combats

Devanagari script

गदाप्रभावं सफलं दर्शयन्शंकरात्मजः । विधिदत्तवराद्व्यास स तूर्णं भूतलेऽपतत्

Transliteration

gadāprabhāvaṃ saphalaṃ darśayanśaṃkarātmajaḥ | vidhidattavarādvyāsa sa tūrṇaṃ bhūtale'patat

Translation

Wahai Vyāsa, putera Śaṅkara (Śiva), sambil memperlihatkan bahawa daya gada itu benar-benar telah berkesan, segera rebah ke bumi—ditundukkan oleh anugerah kurnia yang diberikan oleh Vidhātā (Brahmā).

Word by Word

• गदा-प्रभावम्: the power of the mace
• गदा-प्रभावम्: Karma (कर्म) (object of ‘दर्शयन्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘गदायाः प्रभावः’

• सफलम्: effective, fruitful
• सफलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saphala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying प्रभावम्)

• दर्शयन्: showing
• दर्शयन्: Karta (कर्ता) (participial, agreeing with शंकरात्मजः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) → darśayat (causative) → darśayan (कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय present active participle)
• Form: शतृ-कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः—‘showing’

• शंकर-आत्मजः: Śaṅkara’s son
• शंकर-आत्मजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी): ‘शंकरस्य आत्मजः’

• विधि-दत्त-वरात्: from/through the boon given by Brahmā
• विधि-दत्त-वरात्: Hetu (हेतु) / Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + datta (कृदन्त, क्त, √dā) + vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘विधिना दत्तः वरः’ → ‘विधिदत्तवरः’ (Brahmā-given boon); पञ्चमी: ‘from/owing to the boon’

• व्यास: O Vyāsa
• व्यास: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधन (address to narrator/ Vyāsa)

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

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• तूर्णम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tūrṇam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• भूतले: on the ground
• भूतले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūtala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• अपतत्: fell
• अपतत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past, लङ्-लकार), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights that even extraordinary power and victory are subordinate to divine ordinance (vidhi) and karma shaped by grace; in Shaiva understanding, true mastery is surrender to Pati (Shiva) rather than pride in strength.

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

The verse depicts Shiva’s saguna līlā through His son in battle, reminding devotees that the manifest Lord governs outcomes beyond mere force—supporting Linga-worship as devotion to the supreme controller behind all events.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with humility—offering the fruits of one’s actions to Shiva—rather than seeking only worldly victories through power.