Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29

त्रिपुरदाहवर्णनम् | Tripura-dāha-varṇanam

Description of the Burning of Tripura

Devanagari script

दैत्यास्तु शतशो दग्धास्तस्य बाणस्थवह्निना । हाहाकारं प्रकुर्वंतश्शिवपूजाव्यतिक्रमात्

Transliteration

daityāstu śataśo dagdhāstasya bāṇasthavahninā | hāhākāraṃ prakurvaṃtaśśivapūjāvyatikramāt

Translation

दैत्याः शतशोऽस्य बाणस्थवह्निना दग्धाः; शिवपूजाव्यतिक्रमात् ते हाहाकारं प्रकुर्वन्तः।

Word by Word

• दैत्याः: the demons
• दैत्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle/emphasis)

• शतशः: by hundreds, in hundreds
• शतशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• दग्धाः: burnt
• दग्धाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृस्थाने (predicate participle)

• तस्य: of him/that (one)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• बाणस्थवह्निना: by the fire on the arrow
• बाणस्थवह्निना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण-स्थ-वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (locative/determinative sense: ‘fire in/placed on the arrow’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• हाहाकारम्: a wail/cry of distress
• हाहाकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हाहाकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• प्रकुर्वन्तः: making/uttering
• प्रकुर्वन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शिवपूजाव्यतिक्रमात्: from/owing to the violation of Śiva-worship
• शिवपूजाव्यतिक्रमात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-पूजा-व्यतिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (genitive/determinative: ‘transgression of Śiva-worship’); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the battle account to the sages at Naimisharanya, within Rudrasaṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Tripurāntaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account. The verse highlights the karmic consequence of śiva-pūjā-vyatikrama (transgression/neglect of Śiva’s worship/dharma) during the Tripura conflict.

Significance: Didactic: neglect of Śiva-bhakti and dharma intensifies pāśa (bondage) and yields suffering; conversely, proper worship becomes a door to anugraha even for the fallen.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Mythic battlefield destruction via divinely empowered arrows (śastra-tejas)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Daityas

FAQs

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

The verse stresses that transgressing Shiva-worship (śiva-pūjā-vyatikrama) leads to suffering, while Shiva as Pati upholds dharma; the daityas’ burning symbolizes the purifying yet inexorable operation of divine law upon adharma.

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

It highlights Saguna Shiva’s protective governance: when beings reject reverence to Shiva (often centered on Linga-pūjā in the Purana), they lose auspiciousness and become subject to destructive consequences that restore cosmic order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain steady Shiva-pūjā and remembrance—especially japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya)—as a safeguard against vyatikrama (deviation), supported by simple daily practices like vibhuti (tripuṇḍra) and disciplined devotion.