Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 1
शुक्रनिग्रहः — The Seizure/Neutralization of Śukra (Kāvya) and the Daityas’ Despondency
व्यास उवाच । शुक्रे निगीर्णे रुद्रेण किमकार्षुश्च दानवाः । अंधकेशा महावीरा वद तत्त्वं महामुने
vyāsa uvāca | śukre nigīrṇe rudreṇa kimakārṣuśca dānavāḥ | aṃdhakeśā mahāvīrā vada tattvaṃ mahāmune
วยาสกล่าวว่า “ข้าแต่มหามุนี เมื่อรุทระทรงกลืนศุกระแล้ว เหล่าทานวะได้ทำสิ่งใดต่อมา? วีรชนผมดำผู้เกรียงไกรเหล่านั้น—โปรดบอกความจริงแก่ข้าพเจ้า”
Vyāsa
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Rudra
FAQs
The verse highlights Rudra as Pati—the supreme Lord whose power cannot be countered by mere strategy or arrogance. Śukra’s being swallowed symbolizes the collapse of asuric reliance on worldly cunning, pointing to the Shaiva Siddhanta theme that liberation and true safety rest in surrender to Śiva, not in ego-driven strength.
Rudra here is Saguna Śiva—personally acting in the world to protect dharma and restrain adharma. Linga-worship trains the devotee to recognize this same Lord as both immanent protector and transcendent reality, so fear and pride are replaced by devotion and refuge in Śiva.
A practical takeaway is to take śaraṇāgati (refuge) in Śiva through japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and steady remembrance of Rudra as the inner protector; applying vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) can be taken as a daily vow of humility and dependence on Śiva’s grace.