Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39
भूतत्रिपुरधर्मवर्णनम् (Description of the Dharma/Conduct of the Bhūta-Tripura) — Chapter 3
कथं तेषां च दैत्यानां बलाद्धत्वा पुरत्रयम् । देवकार्यं करिष्यामीत्यासीच्चिंतासमाकुलः
kathaṃ teṣāṃ ca daityānāṃ balāddhatvā puratrayam | devakāryaṃ kariṣyāmītyāsīcciṃtāsamākulaḥ
ਉਹ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਨਾਲ ਘਿਰ ਗਿਆ—“ਉਹਨਾਂ ਬਲਵਾਨ ਦੈਤਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਤ੍ਰਿਪੁਰ ਨੂੰ ਮੈਂ ਜ਼ੋਰ ਨਾਲ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਨਸ਼ਟ ਕਰਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਦੇਵਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਾਰਜ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਪੂਰਾ ਕਰਾਂ?”
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Tripurāntaka
Sthala Purana: Tripura motif: the ‘three cities’ symbolize fortified bondage; their burning is ultimately accomplished through Śiva as Tripurāntaka, not by deva-force alone.
Cosmic Event: Tripura (threefold fortress) as a cosmic-ethical crisis requiring divine dissolution
FAQs
The verse highlights the limitation of mere “force” (balāt) when confronting great obstacles; Shaiva Siddhanta reads this as a cue that divine work succeeds through Shiva’s grace (anugraha) and right alignment, not anxiety-driven effort.
Tripura’s conquest is ultimately Shiva’s līlā in a manifest (saguṇa) form; devotion to the Linga trains the mind to shift from self-reliant strain to Shiva-centered surrender, through which the devas’ purpose is fulfilled.
A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with calm breath and offering of bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) as a reminder to release fear and rely on Shiva’s guidance rather than raw force.