Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 54

बाणासुरस्य क्रोधाज्ञा तथा अन्तःपुरयुद्धारम्भः

Bāṇāsura’s Wrathful Command and the Onset of Battle at the Inner Palace

Devanagari script

पूर्वंवद्विजहारासौ तया स्वप्रियया सुखी । पीतपानस्सुरक्ताक्षस्स बाणसुतया ततः

Transliteration

pūrvaṃvadvijahārāsau tayā svapriyayā sukhī | pītapānassuraktākṣassa bāṇasutayā tataḥ

Translation

பின்னர் அவன் முன்புபோலவே தன் அன்புப் பிரியையுடன் மகிழ்ந்து விளையாடினான். அதன் பின் மதுபானத்தால் கண்கள் சிவந்த பாணனின் மருமகன், பாணனின் மகளுடன் களியாட்டத்தில் மூழ்கி இருந்தான்.

Word by Word

• pūrvam-vat: as before
• pūrvam-vat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास/Adverbial compound: ‘पूर्वम् इव’ = ‘as before’

• vijahāra: enjoyed / sported
• vijahāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√hṛ (हृ धातु; ‘to sport/enjoy’)
• Form: लकारः: लिट्/Perfect, पुरुषः: प्रथम/3rd, वचनम्: एकवचन/Singular; परस्मैपदम्

• asau: he (that one)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/Masculine, प्रथमा/Nominative, एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम ‘that person/he’

• tayā: with her
• tayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/Feminine, तृतीया/Instrumental (3rd), एकवचन/Singular

• sva-priyayā: with (his) own beloved
• sva-priyayā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + priyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: स्वप्रिया (कर्मधारय; ‘स्वा प्रिया’ = ‘his own beloved’). स्त्रीलिङ्ग/Feminine, तृतीया/Instrumental, एकवचन; ‘तया’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• sukhī: happy
• sukhī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/Masculine, प्रथमा/Nominative, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• pīta-pānaḥ: having drunk (intoxicating) drink
• pīta-pānaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīta (कृदन्त; √pā/पा धातु) + pāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: पीतपान (तत्पुरुष; ‘पीतं पानं येन/यस्मिन्’—‘having drunk drink’). पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• su-rakta-akṣaḥ: with very red eyes
• su-rakta-akṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: सुरक्ताक्ष (कर्मधारय; ‘सु-रक्ते अक्षिणी यस्य’—अर्थतः बहुव्रीह्यर्थ, परन्तु रूपेण कर्मधारय-समास). पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• bāṇa-sutayā: with Bāṇa’s daughter
• bāṇa-sutayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: बाणसुता (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; ‘बाणस्य सुता’). स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया/Instrumental, एकवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/कालवाचक: ‘then/thereafter’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Bāṇa
• Bāṇa’s daughter (Uṣā)
• Aniruddha (Bāṇa’s son-in-law)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights absorption in pleasure and intoxication—classic marks of pāśa (bondage). In Shaiva Siddhanta framing, such enjoyment is transient and contrasts with Shiva-centered discipline that leads the soul (paśu) toward liberation under the grace of Pati (Shiva).

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

By showing the characters’ immersion in sense-life, the narrative sets a foil to Saguna Shiva worship—where devotees turn the mind from indulgence toward Shiva through pūjā, japa, and vrata, seeking purification and steadiness rather than intoxicated distraction.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is restraint and purification: replacing revelry with Shiva-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and adopting sāttvika conduct supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of devotion and self-control.