Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 41

भद्रस्य दिव्यरथारोहणं शङ्खनादश्च — Bhadra’s Divine Chariot-Ascent and the Conch-Blast

Devanagari script

साक्षाद्रुद्रतनुर्वीरो वरवीरगणावृतः । अट्टहासेन घोरेण व्यष्टं भयदनिंदितः

Transliteration

sākṣādrudratanurvīro varavīragaṇāvṛtaḥ | aṭṭahāsena ghoreṇa vyaṣṭaṃ bhayadaniṃditaḥ

Translation

ఆ వీరుడు సాక్షాత్తు రుద్రుని తనువుగా ప్రత్యక్షమై, శ్రేష్ఠ వీరగణాలతో చుట్టుముట్టబడి నిలిచెను. ఓ నిర్దోషీ, అతని ఘోర అట్టహాసం భయాన్నే చీల్చి చెదరగొట్టెను.

Word by Word

• sākṣāt: directly, manifestly
• sākṣāt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle (साक्षात्—प्रत्यक्षार्थक अव्यय)

• rudra-tanuḥ: Rudra’s embodiment/form
• rudra-tanuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + tanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग) ‘tanu’; Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• vīraḥ: the hero
• vīraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• vara-vīra-gaṇa-āvṛtaḥ: surrounded by excellent heroic troops
• vara-vīra-gaṇa-āvṛtaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + vīra (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āvṛta (कृदन्त, √vṛ धातु with ā-)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound (nested); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); PPP ‘surrounded’

• aṭṭahāsena: with loud laughter
• aṭṭahāsena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṭṭahāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• ghoreṇa: terrible
• ghoreṇa: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter form; Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with aṭṭahāsena

• vyaṣṭam: scattered, thrown into disarray
• vyaṣṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyaṣṭa (कृदन्त, √aś/√aṣ?; lexical PPP ‘scattered/overwhelmed’)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); used predicatively with implied object/context

• bhaya-daḥ: giver of fear
• bhaya-daḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक from √dā ‘to give’)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• aninditaḥ: blameless, faultless
• aninditaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anindita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

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

The verse portrays Rudra’s manifested power (saguṇa śakti) as the force that annihilates fear—an inner bond (pāśa). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, when Pati (Shiva/Rudra) is realized as the Lord, the pashu’s fear-born limitation loosens, moving the soul toward grace and liberation.

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

Rudra’s ‘body-form’ indicates Shiva’s compassionate accessibility through form (saguṇa). Linga-worship similarly provides a concrete focus for devotion and contemplation, through which the devotee entrusts fear and limitation to Shiva, who alone can dissolve them.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is fear-dispelling japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with steady breath and attention at the heart, coupled with simple Shaiva observances like applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of surrender to Rudra, the conqueror of fear.