Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 29

भद्रस्य दिव्यरथारोहणं शङ्खनादश्च — Bhadra’s Divine Chariot-Ascent and the Conch-Blast

Devanagari script

स च विष्णुर्धनुर्मुक्तान्सर्वाञ्छर्वचमूपतिः । सहसा वारयामास घोरैः प्रतिशरैः शरान्

Transliteration

sa ca viṣṇurdhanurmuktānsarvāñcharvacamūpatiḥ | sahasā vārayāmāsa ghoraiḥ pratiśaraiḥ śarān

Translation

ครั้นแล้วพระวิษณุ ผู้เป็นจอมทัพแห่งพระศรฺวะ ก็พลันสกัดลูกศรทั้งปวงที่พุ่งจากคันธนู ด้วยลูกศรโต้กลับอันน่าสะพรึงกลัว

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• dhanuḥ-muktān: shot from the bow
• dhanuḥ-muktān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanuḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + mukta (मुच् धातु, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष: ‘released from the bow’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (śarān)

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (śarān)

• śarvacaṃū-patiḥ: the commander of Śarva’s army
• śarvacaṃū-patiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarva (प्रातिपदिक) + camū (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘Śarva’s army-lord/commander’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• sahasā: suddenly/with force
• sahasā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘suddenly/forcefully’

• vārayāmāsa: warded off/checked
• vārayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (वृ धातु, ‘to restrain/ward off’)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) + लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ghoraiḥ: terrible
• ghoraiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (pratiśaraiḥ)

• prati-śaraiḥ: with counter-arrows
• prati-śaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prati (उपसर्ग) + śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘counter-arrows’ (उपसर्गयुक्त प्रातिपदिक)

• śarān: arrows
• śarān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shiva (Śarva)

FAQs

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

It portrays disciplined restraint: hostile forces (arrows) are neutralized by conscious counter-force, reflecting the Shaiva Siddhanta ideal that the bound soul (paśu) must counter pasha (bondage) through clarity, devotion, and divine support under Pati (Shiva).

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

By calling Vishnu the leader of Śarva’s army, the narrative underscores Shiva’s supreme lordship (Pati) even when other deities act prominently; worship of the Linga/Saguna Shiva centers the devotee in that supreme refuge and order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practically, it suggests pratyāhāra and japa: when distracting thoughts arise like arrows, answer with the counter-arrow of steady Panchakshara japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and grounding disciplines such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) remembrance of impermanence.