Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 41

शिवस्य सैन्यप्रयाणम् तथा गणपतिनामावलिः (Śiva’s Mobilization for War and the Catalogue of Gaṇa Commanders)

Devanagari script

मुद्गरं मुसलं वक्त्रं खङ्गं फलकमुल्बणम् । वैष्णवास्त्रं वारुणास्त्रं वायव्यं नागपाशकम्

Transliteration

mudgaraṃ musalaṃ vaktraṃ khaṅgaṃ phalakamulbaṇam | vaiṣṇavāstraṃ vāruṇāstraṃ vāyavyaṃ nāgapāśakam

Translation

“(Baginda mengangkat) penukul, alu, senjata hentakan yang garang, pedang dan perisai yang menggerunkan; serta juga astra Vaiṣṇava, astra Varuṇa, astra Vāyu, dan Nāga-pāśa, jerat ular.”

Word by Word

• मुद्गरम्: hammer/club
• मुद्गरम्: कर्म (Object—item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्गर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मुसलम्: pestle/club
• मुसलम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुसल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वक्त्रम्: face/mouth
• वक्त्रम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• खङ्गम्: sword
• खङ्गम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• फलकम्: shield/board
• फलकम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: फलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• उल्बणम्: huge/strong
• उल्बणम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उल्बण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; फलक-विशेषण

• वैष्णवास्त्रम्: Vaiṣṇava weapon
• वैष्णवास्त्रम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव-अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वैष्णवं अस्त्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वारुणास्त्रम्: Vāruṇa weapon
• वारुणास्त्रम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारुण-अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वारुणं अस्त्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वायव्यम्: Vāyavya (wind) weapon
• वायव्यम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (अस्त्रं) इति शेष (elliptic)

• नागपाशकम्: serpent-noose weapon
• नागपाशकम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग-पाशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नागानां पाशकः/नाग-पाशकः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Varuna
• Vayu
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

Though it lists weapons and astras, the deeper point is that all forms of worldly power—force, skill, and divine armaments—remain instruments within Prakṛti. In Shaiva Siddhanta, liberation comes not from weapons but from the grace of Pati (Shiva) that cuts the pāśa (bondage).

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

The battle setting highlights Saguna Shiva’s realm of action—where dharma is protected and adharma restrained. Yet Linga-worship points beyond conflict to the transcendent Lord, reminding devotees that Shiva is the inner ruler of all powers symbolized by these astras.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to replace reliance on external ‘weapons’ with inner sādhanā: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and steady remembrance of Shiva as the remover of pāśa (bondage), especially during Mahāśivarātri observances.