Shloka 4
वीरभद्र–देवयुद्धवर्णनम्
Vīrabhadra and the Battle with the Devas
तच्छ्रुत्वा शंखनिर्ह्रादं देवा ये च पलायिताः । रणं हित्वा गताः पूर्वं ते द्रुतं पुनराययुः
tacchrutvā śaṃkhanirhrādaṃ devā ye ca palāyitāḥ | raṇaṃ hitvā gatāḥ pūrvaṃ te drutaṃ punarāyayuḥ
ఆ శంఖనాదాన్ని విని, ముందుగా యుద్ధభూమిని విడిచి పారిపోయిన దేవతలందరూ వేగంగా మళ్లీ తిరిగి వచ్చారు।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
The verse highlights how fear can cause even powerful beings to fall away from dharma, yet a decisive call—symbolized by the conch’s clarion—can awaken courage and restore right action. In a Shaiva reading, it suggests that when the higher impulse toward order and truth arises, the scattered mind returns to its rightful duty.
Though the Linga is not named here, the narrative momentum in the Satīkhaṇḍa consistently points to Shiva as the supreme stabilizing principle (Pati). The return of the Devas mirrors the devotee’s return to Saguna Shiva—seeking refuge, strength, and steadiness—after wavering under worldly agitation.
A practical takeaway is to use sound and repetition to re-center: japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) when the mind ‘flees’ from discipline. The conch-blast motif also supports beginning worship with auspicious sound (nāda) and then steadying the mind in mantra.