Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 13

त्रिपुरवर्णनम् (Tripura-varṇanam) — “Description of Tripura”

Devanagari script

महाप्रतापपतितास्सर्वेप्यासन् सुमूर्छिताः । वर्षासु गतसंत्रासा वृष्टिं मूर्द्धन्यधारयन्

Transliteration

mahāpratāpapatitāssarvepyāsan sumūrchitāḥ | varṣāsu gatasaṃtrāsā vṛṣṭiṃ mūrddhanyadhārayan

Translation

เมื่อถูกเดชานุภาพอันยิ่งใหญ่และร้อนแรงนั้นกระหน่ำ ทุกคนล้มลงและสลบสิ้นสติ ดุจผู้คนในฤดูฝนที่ความหวาดหวั่นสงบลง พวกเขาก็ทนรับสายฝนที่ตกลงบนศีรษะ

Word by Word

• महाप्रतापपतिताः: fallen due to great heat/force
• महाप्रतापपतिताः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाप्रताप + पतित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तृतीया/हेतु-तत्पुरुष: महाप्रतापेन पतिताः = struck down by great heat/energy), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifying ‘ते’)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/अवधारण (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अप्यर्थे/समुच्चये (also/even)

• आसन्: were
• आसन्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सुमूर्छिताः: completely fainted
• सुमूर्छिताः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + मूर्छित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सु-मूर्छिताः = well/utterly fainted), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वर्षासु: in the rainy seasons
• वर्षासु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• गतसंत्रासाः: whose fear had gone / fearless
• गतसंत्रासाः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत + संत्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रवृत्तः: यस्य संत्रासः गतः), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifying ‘ते’)

• वृष्टिम्: rainfall
• वृष्टिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मूर्द्धनि: on the head
• मूर्द्धनि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अधारयन्: they bore/endured
• अधारयन्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘अधारयन्’ = they bore/held

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It portrays how finite beings collapse before overwhelming divine śakti (pratāpa). In Shaiva Siddhānta, such “falling unconscious” symbolizes the ego’s defeat, where fear and agitation subside when one is overpowered by the reality of Pati (Śiva).

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

The imagery of irresistible pratāpa reflects Saguna Śiva’s manifest power that devotees approach through accessible forms—especially the Śiva-liṅga. Worship trains the mind to endure life’s ‘downpours’ with steadiness, recognizing Śiva as the sustaining Lord behind all forces.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is cultivating kṣamā (endurance) and śaraṇāgati (surrender) through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and steady dhyāna on Śiva’s presence, so fear ‘passes away’ like rainclouds after a storm.