Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 4

शिवविहारवर्णनम् (Śivavihāra-varṇana) — “Description of Śiva’s Divine Pastimes/Sojourn”

Devanagari script

तारकस्य कथं ब्रह्मन् वधोऽभूद्देवशंकरः । एतत्सर्वमशेषेण वद कृत्वा दयां मयि

Transliteration

tārakasya kathaṃ brahman vadho'bhūddevaśaṃkaraḥ | etatsarvamaśeṣeṇa vada kṛtvā dayāṃ mayi

Translation

ข้าแต่พราหมณ์ผู้ควรบูชา การปราบสังหารตารกะเกิดขึ้นได้อย่างไรด้วยพระกรุณาและฤทธานุภาพของพระเทวศังกร? ขอได้โปรดเมตตาข้าพเจ้าและเล่าให้ครบถ้วนทั้งหมด

Word by Word

• tārakasya: of Tāraka
• tārakasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (6 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Praśna-avyaya (प्रश्न-अव्यय) interrogative adverb

• brahman: O Brahman
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Sambodhana (सम्बोधन), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• vadhaḥ: killing/slaying
• vadhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• abhūt: happened/occurred
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• deva-śaṃkaraḥ: Śaṅkara, the god
• deva-śaṃkaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन); karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘devaḥ śaṃkaraḥ’ (epithet)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa

• aśeṣeṇa: completely
• aśeṣeṇa: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aśeṣa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Tṛtīyā-ekavacana used adverbially (करणे तृतीया) = ‘completely, without remainder’

• vada: tell
• vada: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (वद् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (क्त्वा) absolutive; ‘having done’

• dayām: compassion
• dayām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• mayi: towards/in me
• mayi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Saptamī (7 विभक्ति), Ekavacana (एकवचन); first-person pronoun

Speaker

A disciple/inquirer addressing Brahma or a Brahmanical narrator (contextual interlocutor in Kumārakhaṇḍa’s opening inquiry)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga legend; it anticipates the Tārakāsura-vadha, a dharmic ‘samhāra’ enacted through Śiva’s agency (often via Skanda).

Significance: Hearing the demon-slaying kathā is framed as purifying and dharma-restoring; inspires courage and surrender to Śiva’s protective power.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shankara
• Tarakasura

FAQs

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

It models the Shaiva attitude of humble inquiry: the seeker requests the full sacred account, recognizing that Shiva’s compassionate will (anugraha) is the hidden power behind the defeat of adharma.

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

By addressing Shiva as Deva Śaṅkara, the verse points to Saguna Shiva—accessible through devotion—whose grace operates in the world; such remembrance supports Linga-worship as a living connection to Shiva’s benevolent action.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt śravaṇa (devotional listening) with humility and compassion-seeking; accompany it with japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to internalize Shiva’s anugraha while hearing his puranic deeds.