Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 33
बाणासुरस्य क्रोधाज्ञा तथा अन्तःपुरयुद्धारम्भः
Bāṇāsura’s Wrathful Command and the Onset of Battle at the Inner Palace
अनिरुद्ध उवाच । दैत्याऽधमसखे करर्पिडोपजीवक । निशाचर दुराचार शत्रुधर्मं न वेत्सि भोः
aniruddha uvāca | daityā'dhamasakhe kararpiḍopajīvaka | niśācara durācāra śatrudharmaṃ na vetsi bhoḥ
Aniruddha berkata: “Wahai sahabat hina kaum Daitya—yang hidup dengan memerah tangan orang lain (memeras)! Wahai pengembara malam, berkelakuan jahat—engkau benar-benar tidak mengetahui dharma musuh dalam medan perang.”
Aniruddha
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
FAQs
It contrasts dharma with adharma: even amid conflict, righteous conduct is upheld, while coercion and cruel behavior signify bondage (pāśa) that obscures clarity and virtue.
In the Shiva Purana’s devotional framework, worship of Saguna Shiva is meant to purify conduct; the verse underscores that devotion is validated by dharmic behavior, not merely by power or aggression.
A practical takeaway is dharma-anusandhāna (self-audit of conduct) alongside japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to reduce coercive impulses and cultivate restraint.