Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 1
देवदैत्यसामान्ययुद्धवर्णनम् — Description of the General Battle Between Devas and Daityas
ब्रह्मोवाच । इति ते वर्णितस्तात देवदानव सेनयोः । संग्रामस्तुमुलोऽतीव तत्प्रभ्वो शृणु नारद
brahmovāca | iti te varṇitastāta devadānava senayoḥ | saṃgrāmastumulo'tīva tatprabhvo śṛṇu nārada
พระพรหมตรัสว่า “ดูลูกรัก เราได้พรรณนาศึกอันดุเดือดและอึกทึกยิ่ง ระหว่างกองทัพเทวะกับทานวะให้เจ้าฟังแล้ว บัดนี้ โอ้นารท จงฟังผลลัพธ์และอำนาจที่ปรากฏเหนือศึกนั้นเถิด”
Brahma
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Role: teaching
FAQs
It frames cosmic conflict as subordinate to a higher, divinely governed order—inviting the listener to move from mere description of battle to understanding the deeper supremacy (prabhutva) that directs outcomes, ultimately pointing toward Pati (the Lord) as the true sovereign behind events.
Though the verse itself is narrative, it prepares the mind for recognizing that victory and defeat are not merely worldly forces; in Shaiva understanding, Saguna Shiva’s governance is the unseen principle behind cosmic order, which is symbolically approached through Linga-worship as the stable center amid turmoil.
The immediate practice is śravaṇa (devotional listening) with one-pointed attention; as a Shaiva takeaway, one may pair such listening with silent japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to internalize the teaching that the Lord’s power prevails beyond conflict.