Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 32

जलंधरयुद्धे मायाप्रयोगः — Jalandhara’s Māyā in the Battle with Śiva

Devanagari script

हंतुं चराचरं सर्वं समर्थोऽहं सवासवम् । को महेश्वर मद्बाणैरभेद्यो भुवनत्रये । बालभावेन भगवांतपसैव विनिर्जितः । ब्रह्मा बलिष्ठः स्थाने मे मुनिभिस्सुरपुंगवैः

Transliteration

haṃtuṃ carācaraṃ sarvaṃ samartho'haṃ savāsavam | ko maheśvara madbāṇairabhedyo bhuvanatraye | bālabhāvena bhagavāṃtapasaiva vinirjitaḥ | brahmā baliṣṭhaḥ sthāne me munibhissurapuṃgavaiḥ

Translation

“నేను ఇంద్రుడితో కూడిన దేవులతో సహా సమస్త చరాచరాన్ని సంహరించగలను. ఓ మహేశ్వరా! త్రిలోకాల్లో నా బాణాలకు ఎవడు అభేద్యుడు? బాలలీల వలె, కేవలం తపస్సుతోనే నేను భగవాన్ బ్రహ్మాన్నికూడా వశపరచుకున్నాను. బలవంతుడని చెప్పబడే బ్రహ్మా కూడా నా వల్లనే తన స్థానంలో నిలిచివున్నాడు—మునులు, దేవశ్రేష్ఠుల సహాయంతో.”

Word by Word

• hantum: to kill
• hantum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), expressing purpose/ability

• carācaram: the moving and the unmoving (all beings)
• carācaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cara (प्रातिपदिक) + acara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); dvandva meaning 'moving and unmoving'

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); qualifies carācaram

• samarthaḥ: capable
• samarthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• sa-vāsavam: together with Indra
• sa-vāsavam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/सहित, उपसर्गवत्) + vāsava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); avyayībhāva sense 'together with Indra' qualifying implied object (e.g., 'world/host')

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); interrogative

• maheśvara: O Maheśvara
• maheśvara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन) Singular (एकवचन)

• mat-bāṇaiḥ: by my arrows
• mat-bāṇaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन); 'by my arrows'

• abhedyaḥ: unpierceable
• abhedyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-bhedya (प्रातिपदिक; from √bhid + यत्)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective with kaḥ

• bhuvana-traye: in the three worlds
• bhuvana-traye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuvana (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी) Singular (एकवचन); 'in the three worlds'

• bāla-bhāvena: by childishness/child-state
• bāla-bhāvena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• bhagavān: the Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (निपात)

• vinirjitaḥ: was completely conquered
• vinirjitaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-nis-√ji (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); predicate with bhagavān

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• baliṣṭhaḥ: strongest
• baliṣṭhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: baliṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); superlative

• sthāne: in (his) place/position
• sthāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी) Singular (एकवचन)

• me: of me / my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (षष्ठी) Singular (एकवचन)

• munibhiḥ: by sages
• munibhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

• sura-puṃgavaiḥ: by the foremost of gods
• sura-puṃgavaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + puṃgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

An arrogant warrior (asura-like opponent) addressing Lord Śiva as Maheśvara in the Yuddhakhaṇḍa battle narrative

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Indra
• Brahma

FAQs

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

The verse highlights ahaṅkāra (spiritual pride): power, weapons, and even tapas become bondage when used to boast against Maheśvara; Śiva’s supremacy is not merely martial but metaphysical—He is Pati, beyond the three worlds.

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

Calling Śiva “Maheśvara” in a challenge contrasts human/asuric confidence with Saguna Śiva as the accessible Lord who still transcends all worlds; Linga-worship disciplines ego, turning power-seeking into surrender and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is ego-purification through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) remembrance—offering one’s strength and achievements to Śiva rather than claiming them as “mine.”