Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

शिवशङ्खचूडयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Battle between Śiva and Śaṅkhacūḍa

Devanagari script

शंखचूडश्शिवं दृष्ट्वा विमानादवरुह्य सः । ननाम परया भक्त्या शिरसा दंडवद्भुवि

Transliteration

śaṃkhacūḍaśśivaṃ dṛṣṭvā vimānādavaruhya saḥ | nanāma parayā bhaktyā śirasā daṃḍavadbhuvi

Translation

శివుణ్ని చూచి శంఖచూడుడు విమానము నుండి దిగివచ్చాడు. పరమభక్తితో భూమిపై దండవత్‌గా పడి, శిరస్సును నేలపై ఉంచి నమస్కరించాడు.

Word by Word

• शंखचूडः: Śaṅkhacūḍa
• शंखचूडः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंखचूड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नाम)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyā (क्रियासम्बन्ध/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• विमानात्: from the aerial car
• विमानात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• अवरुह्य: having descended
• अवरुह्य: Kriyā (क्रियासम्बन्ध/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

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

• ननाम: bowed
• ननाम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परया: with supreme
• परया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (भक्त्या)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• दण्डवत्: prostrate (like a stick)
• दण्डवत्: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/तद्धित-प्राय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: 'like a staff', i.e., prostrate)

• भुवि: on the ground
• भुवि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि-सम्बन्ध)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankhachuda

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender) expressed through daṇḍavat-pranāma: recognizing Śiva as Pati (the Lord) and approaching Him with para-bhakti, which is a direct purifier of ego and a doorway to grace.

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

Although the verse describes seeing Śiva in a manifest form, the devotion shown is the same attitude prescribed in Liṅga worship: approaching Saguna Śiva with humility, reverence, and bodily prostration, which steadies the mind for inner communion with the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests namaskāra with full prostration (daṇḍavat) as a daily act of bhakti; paired with mental remembrance of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—it becomes a simple, powerful practice of surrender and focus.