Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

ततस्स दृष्ट्वा तान्सर्वान्भयभीतांश्च शांकरिः । पर्वतान्गिरिजापुत्रो बभाषे परिबोधयन्

Transliteration

tatassa dṛṣṭvā tānsarvānbhayabhītāṃśca śāṃkariḥ | parvatāngirijāputro babhāṣe paribodhayan

Translation

அப்போது அவர்கள் அனைவரும் அச்சத்தால் நடுங்குவதைக் கண்ட சாங்கரி—கிரிஜையின் புதல்வன்—மலைகளிடம் உரைத்து, அவர்களை விழிப்பூட்டி ஆறுதல் அளித்தான்.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereupon
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): 'thereupon/then'

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), 'having seen'

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective) तान् इति

• bhaya-bhītān: frightened with fear
• bhaya-bhītān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhīta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √bhī धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha): भयेन भीताः (afraid due to fear)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• śāṃkariḥ: Śāṃkari (Kumāra/Skanda)
• śāṃkariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāṃkarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); नाम (proper epithet)

• parvatān: the mountains
• parvatān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• girijā-putraḥ: son of Girijā (Pārvatī)
• girijā-putraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: girijā (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpurusha): गिरिजायाः पुत्रः

• babhāṣe: spoke
• babhāṣe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• paribodhayan: instructing (them)
• paribodhayan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + budh (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'instructing/awakening (them)'

Speaker

Kartikeya (Skanda), son of Parvati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

It shows the Shaiva principle that fear dissolves when beings are awakened by divine guidance—here, Shiva’s own son reassures the frightened, indicating that protection and clarity arise through alignment with Shiva’s grace (anugraha).

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

Kartikeya is a Saguna manifestation within Shiva’s sacred family; his act of comforting reflects Saguna Shiva’s accessible compassion. Devotion to the Linga is likewise a concrete refuge through which the devotee receives reassurance and steadiness amid भय (fear).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind with japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—especially in moments of fear, along with simple Shaiva observances like applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of Shiva’s protection and inner detachment.