Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

भद्रस्य देवसंघेषु विक्रमः

Bhadra’s Onslaught among the Deva Hosts

Devanagari script

भद्रो मूर्ध्नि जघानाशु वामपादेन लीलया । असिभिः पावकं भद्रः पट्टिशैस्तु यमं यमी

Transliteration

bhadro mūrdhni jaghānāśu vāmapādena līlayā | asibhiḥ pāvakaṃ bhadraḥ paṭṭiśaistu yamaṃ yamī

Translation

ภัทราเหยียบฟาดศีรษะศัตรูอย่างรวดเร็วด้วยเท้าซ้าย ราวกับเป็นการละเล่น ภัทราใช้ดาบเข้าประจัญพาวกะ (เทพอัคนี) และใช้ขวานคมเข้าต่อสู้ยมะ; ส่วนยมีก็ออกเผชิญหน้าด้วยเช่นกัน

Word by Word

• भद्रः: Bhadra
• भद्रः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; Locative singular

• जघान: struck
• जघान: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; he struck/slayed

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (adverb)

• वामपादेन: with (his) left foot
• वामपादेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental singular; ‘with the left foot’

• लीलया: playfully
• लीलया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (in playfully/as sport)

• असिभिः: with swords
• असिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• पावकम्: Agni (Fire-god)
• पावकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• भद्रः: Bhadra
• भद्रः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; Nominative singular (repeated subject)

• पट्टिशैः: with spears/axes (paṭṭiśas)
• पट्टिशैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पट्टिश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• तु: and/but
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• यमम्: Yama
• यमम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• यमी: Yamī
• यमी: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject; apposition/another agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; Nominative singular; (agent name)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; this is the Vīrabhadra/Bhadra battle sequence arising from Śiva’s wrath against opposition to Śambhu (often framed around Dakṣa-type sacrificial hubris in Purāṇic narrative patterns).

Characters & Entities

• Bhadra
• Agni (Pavaka)
• Yama
• Yami

FAQs

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

It portrays the supremacy of Shiva’s śakti expressed through his attendant Bhadra—showing that even cosmic functionaries like Agni and Yama operate within the Lord’s higher sovereignty (Pati), while bound beings and powers (pāśa) are ultimately subordinate.

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

Such battle episodes emphasize Saguna Shiva’s governance of the universe through his gaṇas and divine energies; Linga-worship centers on that same Lord as the inner ruler beyond all deities, who directs creation, maintenance, and dissolution.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is refuge in Shiva as the conqueror of fear and death—recitation of the Panchakshara mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as a daily discipline, cultivating detachment from death-anxiety (Yama) and purifying inner fire (Agni).