Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 8

अध्याय ३८ — काली-शंखचूड-युद्धे अस्त्रप्रयोगः

Kālī and Śaṅkhacūḍa: Mantra-Weapons and Surrender in Battle

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वा शंखचूडश्च प्रलयाग्निशिखोपमम् । पपात दंडवद्भूमौ प्रणनाम पुनःपुनः

Transliteration

taṃ dṛṣṭvā śaṃkhacūḍaśca pralayāgniśikhopamam | papāta daṃḍavadbhūmau praṇanāma punaḥpunaḥ

Translation

तं प्रलयाग्निशिखोपमं दृष्ट्वा शंखचूडो दण्डवद्भूमौ पपात, पुनःपुनः प्रणनाम भक्त्या।

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• शंखचूडः: Śaṅkhacūḍa
• शंखचूडः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंखचूड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रलयाग्निशिखा-उपमम्: like the flame of the fire of dissolution
• प्रलयाग्निशिखा-उपमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + शिखा (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—(प्रलयाग्निशिखायाः उपमम्) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa)

• पपात: fell
• पपात: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दण्डवत्: like a staff; prostrate
• दण्डवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial), प्रकारवाचक (manner)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• प्रणनाम: bowed down
• प्रणनाम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुनःपुनः: again and again
• पुनःपुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोग (reduplication)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: The verse’s pralaya-agni imagery aligns with Mahākāla as Time/Death who consumes all at dissolution; Ujjain’s Mahākāleśvara is famed as the Lord who transcends and governs kāla, evoked whenever Śiva is described as pralaya-fire.

Significance: Darśana of Mahākāla is sought for fearlessness before death/time, removal of dread and karmic bondage, and steadiness in dharma amid crisis.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: pralaya (dissolution-fire imagery)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankhachuda

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender): when confronted with Shiva’s overwhelming, world-dissolving majesty, the ego collapses and devotion expresses itself as repeated, heartfelt prostration—an outer sign of inner submission to Pati (the Lord).

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

It reflects Saguna-upāsanā: Shiva is encountered as a manifest, awe-inspiring Presence. Just as one bows before the Liṅga as Shiva’s accessible form, Śaṅkhacūḍa responds with daṇḍavat praṇāma, acknowledging Shiva’s supreme lordship and protective power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice daṇḍavat praṇāma with humility before a Shiva-liṅga, and mentally repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” letting repeated bowing become a meditation on surrender and reverence.