Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

गाणपत्यदानकथा

Bāṇāsura Receives Gaṇapatya; Genealogical Prelude

Devanagari script

शोणिताख्ये पुरे स्थित्वा स राज्यमकरोत्पुरा । त्रैलोक्यं च बलाञ्ज्जित्वा तन्नाथानसुरेश्वरः

Transliteration

śoṇitākhye pure sthitvā sa rājyamakarotpurā | trailokyaṃ ca balāñjjitvā tannāthānasureśvaraḥ

Translation

శోణిత అనే నగరంలో నివసిస్తూ ఆ అసురేశ్వరుడు తన రాజ్యాన్ని స్థాపించెను. బలప్రయోగంతో త్రిలోకమును జయించి, అక్కడి నాథులను కూడా వశపరచుకొనెను।

Word by Word

• शोणिताख्ये: in (the city) named Śoṇita
• शोणिताख्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोणित + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (नगर-विशेषण), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; नामधारक-तत्पुरुष (‘called Śoṇita’)

• पुरे: in the city
• पुरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्थित्वा: having stayed
• स्थित्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), अर्थः—‘having stayed’

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

• राज्यम्: kingdom; rule
• राज्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अकरोत्: made; established
• अकरोत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly; earlier
• पुरा: कालाधिकरण (temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (‘three worlds’ as a collective)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: करण/हेतु (means/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ/उपाय (instrumental sense via ablative: ‘by force’)

• जित्वा: having conquered
• जित्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having conquered’

• तत्: of them
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (‘of them’)

• नाथान्: lords; rulers
• नाथान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• असुरेश्वरः: lord of the asuras
• असुरेश्वरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘lord of the asuras’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Asuras
• Three worlds (Trailokya)
• Rulers of the worlds

FAQs

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

It highlights how dominance gained through mere force can overrun the three worlds, setting the stage for Shiva’s restoring of dharma—teaching that true sovereignty is spiritual mastery, not conquest.

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

By portraying worldly power as unstable and oppressive, the narrative implicitly points devotees toward taking refuge in Saguna Shiva (often worshiped as the Linga), the steadfast protector who re-establishes cosmic order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with devotion, using Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa to cultivate inner victory over ego and aggression.