Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17

तारक-कुमार-युद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Battle between Tāraka and Kumāra

Devanagari script

तं प्रहारमनादृत्य तारको दैत्यपुंगवः । कुमारं चापि संक्रुद्धस्स्वशक्त्या संजघान सः

Transliteration

taṃ prahāramanādṛtya tārako daityapuṃgavaḥ | kumāraṃ cāpi saṃkruddhassvaśaktyā saṃjaghāna saḥ

Translation

ସେଇ ପ୍ରହାରକୁ ଅବହେଳା କରି ଦାନବଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ତାରକ କ୍ରୋଧିତ ହୋଇ ନିଜ ଶକ୍ତି-ଅସ୍ତ୍ରରେ କୁମାରଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରହାର କଲା।

Word by Word

• तम्: that (him/that blow)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• प्रहारम्: the strike/blow
• प्रहारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• अनादृत्य: disregarding
• अनादृत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन् + आ + दृ (धातु) → अनादृत्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘अनादरं कृत्वा’

• तारकः: Tāraka
• तारकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• दैत्य-पुंगवः: the foremost of the demons
• दैत्य-पुंगवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पुंगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘दैत्यानां पुंगवः’

• कुमारम्: Kumāra
• कुमारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक निपात (also/even)

• संक्रुद्धः: enraged
• संक्रुद्धः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + क्रुध् (धातु) → संक्रुद्ध (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्व-शक्त्या: with his own weapon
• स्व-शक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘स्वस्य शक्तिः’ (by his own spear/weapon)

• संजघान: struck
• संजघान: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Kumāra (Kārttikeya/Skanda)
• Tārakāsura

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the asuric tendency to ignore righteous warning and respond with anger; in Shaiva thought, such tamasic pride collides with the divinely empowered force of dharma embodied by Kumāra, who acts as Shiva’s appointed instrument for restoring cosmic order.

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

Kumāra’s role is an extension of Saguna Shiva’s grace in history: the formless Lord (worshiped as the Liṅga) also manifests power through divine agencies to protect devotees and uphold dharma, showing that worship is not merely symbolic but connected to living divine protection.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind against anger and arrogance through japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and disciplined worship with vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra), cultivating humility and courage aligned with dharma.