Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 14

देव-गण-समरः

Devas and Śiva’s Gaṇas Engage in Battle

Devanagari script

पराजितान्स्वकान्दृष्ट्वा वीरभद्रो रुषान्वितः । भूतप्रेतपिशाचांश्च कृत्वा तानेव पृष्ठतः

Transliteration

parājitānsvakāndṛṣṭvā vīrabhadro ruṣānvitaḥ | bhūtapretapiśācāṃśca kṛtvā tāneva pṛṣṭhataḥ

Translation

เมื่อเห็นกองกำลังของตนพ่ายแพ้ วีรภัทรผู้เปี่ยมด้วยพิโรธได้แปรศัตรูเหล่านั้นให้เป็นภูต เปรต และปิศาจ แล้วขับให้ตามหลังตนเป็นบริวาร

Word by Word

• पराजितान्: defeated (ones)
• पराजितान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराजित (कृदन्त; परा+जि धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘पराजित’ = defeated

• स्वकान्: his own (followers)
• स्वकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• वीरभद्रः: Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• रुषा: with anger
• रुषा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुष्/रुषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; ‘with anger’

• अन्वितः: endowed (with)
• अन्वितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित (कृदन्त; अन्वि/अनु+इ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘endowed/possessed’

• भूत: spirits/beings
• भूत: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• प्रेत: ghosts
• प्रेत: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासाङ्ग

• पिशाचान्: piśācas (goblins)
• पिशाचान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समस्तपदस्य अन्त्यपद; (भूत-प्रेत-पिशाचान्) इति समाहार-द्वन्द्वसमास (Dvandva)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having made/turned (into)’

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• पृष्ठतः: from behind/at the rear
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतस् (अव्यय; पृष्ठ + तस्)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place), ‘from/at the back, behind’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Bhūtas
• Pretas
• Piśācas

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how adharmic opposition to Śiva’s will collapses under divine agency: Vīrabhadra’s fury represents Śiva’s protective power that restores dharma, and the transformation into lower spirit-states underscores the karmic consequence of arrogance and hostility toward the divine.

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

Vīrabhadra is a Saguna manifestation—Śiva acting within name-and-form to correct imbalance. For devotees, it reinforces that Linga-worship is not merely symbolic: the Linga signifies the Lord who can be both tranquil and fierce, bestowing grace on the devoted and restraining adharmic forces.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to cultivate humility and Śiva-bhakti through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined purity (e.g., Tripuṇḍra/bhasma with reverence), so one aligns with Śiva’s grace rather than the ego that leads to downfall.