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Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38

त्रिपुरदाहवर्णनम् | Tripura-dāha-varṇanam

Description of the Burning of Tripura

Devanagari script

अर्द्धदग्धा विबुद्धाश्च बभ्रमुर्मोहमूर्च्छिताः । तेन नासीत्सुसूक्ष्मोऽपि घोरत्रिपुरवह्निना

Transliteration

arddhadagdhā vibuddhāśca babhramurmohamūrcchitāḥ | tena nāsītsusūkṣmo'pi ghoratripuravahninā

Translation

அவர்கள் அரை எரிந்தவர்களாய், பின்னர் திடீரென விழிப்புற்று, மயக்க மூர்ச்சையில் அலைந்தனர். அந்தக் கொடிய திரிபுர அக்கினியால் அவர்களின் நுண்ணிய தடம்கூட எஞ்சவில்லை.

Word by Word
अर्द्धदग्धाःhalf-burnt
अर्द्धदग्धाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootअर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + दग्ध (√दह् धातु + क्त कृदन्त)
Formकर्मधारय समास: अर्द्धं दग्धाः; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of implied persons)
विबुद्धाःawakened
विबुद्धाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootवि√बुध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृत् (past participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'awakened/come to senses'
चand
च:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय
बभ्रमुःthey wandered
बभ्रमुः:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√भ्रम् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन
मोहमूर्च्छिताःfainted/deluded by bewilderment
मोहमूर्च्छिताः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootमोह (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्च्छित (√मूर्छ् धातु + क्त)
Formतत्पुरुष समास (सप्तमी/तृतीया-भाव): मोहे मूर्च्छिताः / मोहेन मूर्च्छिताः; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
तेनby that
तेन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
नnot
न:
Nipāta (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)
आसीत्there was
आसीत्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√अस् (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
सुvery
सु:
Upapada/Nipāta (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसु (अव्यय)
Formउपसर्गसदृश निपात (intensifier prefix-like particle)
सूक्ष्मःsubtle, minute
सूक्ष्मः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootसूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण
अपिeven
अपि:
Nipāta (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (even/also)
घोरत्रिपुरवह्निनाby the terrible Tripura-fire
घोरत्रिपुरवह्निना:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootघोर (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रिपुर (प्रातिपदिक) + वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष समास: त्रिपुरस्य वह्निः (Tripura-fire) + घोर-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Tripura-dāha episode to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tripurāntaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Tripura-dāha: Śiva as Tripurāntaka releases the cosmic fire that consumes the three aerial cities of the Asuras, leaving no residue—an emblem of total saṃhāra when pāśa (bondage) matures into self-destructive adharma.

Significance: Meditation on Tripurāntaka is held to burn (daha) accumulated pāśas—karmic accretions and anava-mala—through Śiva’s purifying saṃhāra, culminating in inner dispassion (vairāgya).

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Tripura-dāha (mythic conflagration functioning as a localized pralaya for the Asuras)

Characters & Entities
S
Shiva
T
Tripura (the three cities/Tripura-demons)
T
Tripura-fire (Tripuravahni)

FAQs

The verse portrays how beings struck by Shiva’s fierce power (Tripuravahni) lose all support for delusion (moha). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, Shiva as Pati annihilates the pasha (bondage) that sustains भ्रम (confusion), leaving no residual trace of the old, bound condition.

Tripura-dāha is a Saguna manifestation of Shiva’s protective grace: the Lord acts within time and form to remove adharma and inner impurity. Linga-worship contemplates the same truth—Shiva as the transcendent Pati who, out of compassion, becomes accessible through a sacred form and destroys bondage.

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with bhāva of surrender, coupled with Tripuṇḍra/bhasma remembrance that all impurity and ego are to be ‘burned’ by Shiva’s grace—like Tripura consumed by the Lord’s fire.

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