Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 23

भद्रस्य देवसंघेषु विक्रमः

Bhadra’s Onslaught among the Deva Hosts

Devanagari script

तत्प्रहृष्टा समादाय शिरस्तालफलोपमम् । सा देवी कंडुकक्रीडां चकार समरांगणे

Transliteration

tatprahṛṣṭā samādāya śirastālaphalopamam | sā devī kaṃḍukakrīḍāṃ cakāra samarāṃgaṇe

Translation

เมื่อเป็นเช่นนั้น พระเทวีทรงปีติยิ่งนัก ทรงหยิบสิ่งนั้นขึ้นซึ่งมีขนาดดุจผลตาลเท่าศีรษะ แล้วในสมรภูมิทรงเริ่มเล่นกัณฑุกกรีฑา คือการละเล่นลูกบอล

Word by Word

• तत्: then
• तत्: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः (पूर्वपद-निपातवत्) — used as a prefix-like element meaning “then/thereupon”

• प्रहृष्टा: delighted
• प्रहृष्टा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √हृष् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular feminine; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त — “delighted”

• समादाय: having taken
• समादाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive) — having taken

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — here as compound-member “head”

• तालफलोपमम्: like a palm fruit
• तालफलोपमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताल-फल-उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular neuter; उपमा-तत्पुरुषः (तालफलस्य उपमम् = comparable to a palm-fruit)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular feminine

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular feminine

• कण्डुकक्रीडाम्: ball-play
• कण्डुकक्रीडाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्डुक-क्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular feminine; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कण्डुकस्य क्रीडा = ball-play)

• चकार: did/played
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — “did/made”

• समराङ्गणे: on the battlefield
• समराङ्गणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर-अङ्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन — Locative singular; तत्पुरुषः (समरस्य अङ्गणम् = battlefield/arena of battle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse portrays the Goddess’s fearless “play” even amid battle, pointing to the Shaiva insight that Shakti’s līlā governs creation, protection, and dissolution while the devotee learns steadiness and surrender to Pati (Shiva) beyond outer turmoil.

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

Though the scene highlights the Goddess, it supports Saguna devotion by showing Shiva’s power (Shakti) active in the world; Linga-worship contemplates Shiva as Pati and Shakti as His inseparable energy, together granting protection and inner liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate remembrance of Shiva-Shakti through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with calm breath, and to maintain inner composure—like “play”—amid life’s conflicts; optionally support it with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as Shaiva disciplines.