Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 52

राहोः शिरच्छेदन-कारणकथनम् / The Account of Rāhu’s Beheading

Cause and Background

Devanagari script

शुक्र उवाच । दिव्यौषधीस्समानीय द्रोणाद्रेरंगिरास्सुरान् । जीवयत्येष वै तात सत्यं जानीहि मे वचः

Transliteration

śukra uvāca | divyauṣadhīssamānīya droṇādreraṃgirāssurān | jīvayatyeṣa vai tāta satyaṃ jānīhi me vacaḥ

Translation

శుక్రుడు అన్నాడు: ఓ తాతా, ద్రోణ పర్వతం నుండి దివ్య ఔషధులను తెచ్చి అంగిరసుడు దేవతలను నిశ్చయంగా జీవింపజేస్తాడు. నా మాట సత్యమని తెలుసుకో.

Word by Word

• शुक्रः: Śukra
• शुक्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दिव्य-औषधीः: divine herbs
• दिव्य-औषधीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + औषधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (‘divine herbs’)

• समानीय: having brought
• समानीय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-नी (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष (Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having brought/collected’

• द्रोण-अद्रेः: from Mount Droṇa
• द्रोण-अद्रेः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक) + अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘of Mount Droṇa’)

• अङ्गिराः: the Aṅgirasas
• अङ्गिराः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सुरान्: gods
• सुरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; अङ्गिराः इत्यस्य विशेष्य/समन्वय

• जीवयति: revives
• जीवयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative) अर्थः—‘makes live/revives’

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय

• तात: O dear one/son
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as object/complement)

• जानीहि: know/understand
• जानीहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वचः: words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Shukra (Shukracharya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shukra
• Angiras
• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse highlights faith in divine order and truthful speech: even amid war and loss, restoration occurs through dharmic means. From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, such healing is a worldly grace (anugraha) within saṃsāra, while Shiva alone grants the higher liberation that transcends death.

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

Though the verse speaks of herbs and revival, the broader Yuddhakhaṇḍa context underscores that all remedial powers function under the sovereignty of Saguna Shiva, the compassionate Lord who governs life, death, and restoration. Devotional reliance ultimately culminates in surrender to Shiva as Pati (the Lord) beyond all instruments.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is śraddhā (faith) and satya (truthfulness) in speech, supported by Shiva-oriented remembrance. A simple aligned practice is japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while contemplating Shiva as the inner healer who restores clarity and steadiness of prāṇa and mind.