Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

न ववौ पवमानश्च निष्प्रभोऽभूद्दिवाकरः । चचाल वसुधा सर्वा सशैलवनकानना

Transliteration

na vavau pavamānaśca niṣprabho'bhūddivākaraḥ | cacāla vasudhā sarvā saśailavanakānanā

Translation

காற்று வீசவில்லை; சூரியன் ஒளியற்றவனானான். மலைகள், காடுகள், தோப்புகள் உடன் முழு பூமியும் நடுங்கியது.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• vavau: blew
• vavau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• pavamānaḥ: the wind
• pavamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवमान (कृदन्त; √पू/पु धातु, शानच्)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वायुवाचक (wind)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• niṣprabhaḥ: radianceless
• niṣprabhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्रभा-रहितः’ (without radiance)

• abhūt: became, was
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• divākaraḥ: the sun
• divākaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• cacāla: shook, trembled
• cacāla: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vasudhā: the earth
• vasudhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sarvā: entire
• sarvā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘वसुधा’ इति विशेषण

• sa-śaila-vana-kānanā: with mountains, forests, and groves
• sa-śaila-vana-kānanā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय-उपसर्गवत् ‘सह’) + शैल (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक) + कानन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (सह/स-पूर्वक); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शैलैः वनैः काननैः सह’ (together with mountains, forests, and groves)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmic portent: cessation of wind, dimming of sun, and trembling earth—an omen-like disruption of loka-dharmas preceding divine intervention.

Characters & Entities

• Pavamāna (Vāyu)
• Divākara (Sūrya)
• Vasudhā (Earth)

FAQs

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

It depicts cosmic portents: when a major divine event connected to Śiva’s śakti and purpose unfolds, nature itself becomes still or shaken, indicating that all tattvas (worldly principles) remain under the Lord’s sovereignty (Pati) rather than operating independently.

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

Such omens highlight Saguna Śiva’s manifest governance of the cosmos—sun, wind, and earth—encouraging devotees to take refuge in Śiva through worship of the Liṅga, where the transcendent (Nirguṇa) is approached in a gracious, worshipable form (Saguṇa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steadiness in japa during upheaval: repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of Śiva’s supremacy over changing phenomena, and maintain bhakti as the mind’s anchor.