Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 358

देवदैत्यसामान्ययुद्धवर्णनम् — Description of the General Battle Between Devas and Daityas

Devanagari script

स दृष्ट्वा तस्य तत्कर्म वीरभद्रो गणाग्रणीः । चकार सुमहत्कोपं तद्वधाय महाबली

Transliteration

sa dṛṣṭvā tasya tatkarma vīrabhadro gaṇāgraṇīḥ | cakāra sumahatkopaṃ tadvadhāya mahābalī

Translation

Ao ver tal feito, Vīrabhadra—o principal chefe das gaṇas de Śiva, de força imensa—foi tomado por uma ira descomunal, decidido a matá-lo.

Word by Word

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

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having seen’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तत्-कर्म: that act/deed
• तत्-कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘that deed’)

• वीरभद्रः: Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गण-अग्रणीः: leader of the gaṇas
• गण-अग्रणीः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्रणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गणानाम् अग्रणीः)

• चकार: made / did
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• सु-महत्: very great
• सु-महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कोपम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; ‘सु’ उपसर्गः (intensifier)

• कोपम्: anger
• कोपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तद्-वधाय: for his killing
• तद्-वधाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य वधः)

• महाबली: the mighty one
• महाबली: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् बली)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Virabhadra
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It portrays the gaṇas as instruments of Śiva’s dharma-protecting will: when adharma is witnessed, divine power responds to restore sacred order, reminding devotees that Śiva’s grace includes both protection and correction.

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

Vīrabhadra represents Saguna Śiva’s active, protective aspect—Śiva not only abides in the Liṅga as the supreme presence, but also manifests power through his attendants to uphold reverence and restrain sacrilege.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate inner restraint by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and mentally offer anger into Śiva’s awareness; for worship, maintain śauca and apply Tripuṇḍra-bhasma as a reminder that divine power must be guided by dharma.