Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 4

क्रौञ्चशरणागमनम् तथा बाणासुरवधः

Krauñca Seeks Refuge; Slaying of Bāṇāsura

Devanagari script

क्रौंच उवाच । कुमार स्कंद देवेश तारकासुरनाशक । पाहि मां शरणापन्नं बाणासुरनिपीडितम्

Transliteration

krauṃca uvāca | kumāra skaṃda deveśa tārakāsuranāśaka | pāhi māṃ śaraṇāpannaṃ bāṇāsuranipīḍitam

Translation

ครौญจะกล่าวว่า “โอ้กุมารสกันทะ เจ้าแห่งเทพ ผู้ทำลายตารกาสูร โปรดคุ้มครองข้าผู้มาขอพึ่งพา ผู้ถูกพาณาสูรกดขี่เถิด”

Word by Word

• क्रौञ्चः: Krauñca (the bird)
• क्रौञ्चः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• कुमार: O Kumāra
• कुमार: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• स्कन्द: O Skanda
• स्कन्द: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• देवेश: O Lord of the gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): देवानाम् ईशः; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तारकासुरनाशक: O destroyer of the demon Tāraka
• तारकासुरनाशक: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक-असुर-नाशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): तारकासुरस्य नाशकः; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पाहि: protect!
• पाहि: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• शरणापन्नम्: having sought refuge
• शरणापन्नम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्मसमानाधिकरण/Predicate to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरण-आपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव: शरणम् आपन्नः (past participle from √आपद्/आप् ‘to resort/attain’), ‘having taken refuge’

• बाणासुरनिपीडितम्: oppressed by the demon Bāṇa
• बाणासुरनिपीडितम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्मसमानाधिकरण/Predicate to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाण-असुर-निपीडित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष: बाणासुरेण निपीडितः; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) from √पीड् (to afflict) with नि-

Speaker

Krauñca

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it is a direct śaraṇāgati prayer to Kumāra/Skanda, invoking his prior victory over Tārakāsura as assurance of protective grace.

Significance: Model prayer for devotees in distress: invoking the Lord’s past salvific acts (asura-nāśa) strengthens faith and draws anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: कुमार स्कंद देवेश तारकासुरनाशक । पाहि मां शरणापन्नं बाणासुरनिपीडितम्

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Skanda (Kartikeya)
• Tarakasura
• Banasura

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati—taking refuge in the Lord’s grace. In Shaiva understanding, sincere surrender to the divine protector (here, Skanda, empowered by Shiva) becomes the turning point that overcomes fear and oppression.

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

Skanda is a Saguna manifestation within Shiva’s cosmic order—Shiva’s śakti and command expressed in a personal, approachable form. The devotee’s plea mirrors how worship of Saguna Shiva (including Linga worship as a sacred focus) channels divine protection and guidance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The core practice implied is refuge and prayer: mentally offer oneself at the Lord’s feet and repeat a protective Shiva-oriented mantra such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” accompanied by simple devotion (bhakti) and remembrance of the Lord’s power to remove distress.