Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

अस्त्रशस्त्राण्यनेकानिसवीरो विसृजन्बभौ । विसृजन्सर्वभूतानि यथादौ विश्वसंभवः

Transliteration

astraśastrāṇyanekānisavīro visṛjanbabhau | visṛjansarvabhūtāni yathādau viśvasaṃbhavaḥ

Translation

วีรบุรุษนั้นส่องประกายเมื่อสาดส่งอัสตรศัสตรานานาประการนับไม่ถ้วน ครั้นปล่อยออกไปก็ประหนึ่ง “ผู้ก่อกำเนิดจักรวาล” ในปฐมกาล ผู้บันดาลสรรพสัตว์ทั้งปวงให้ปรากฏ

Word by Word

• अस्त्र-शस्त्राणि: missiles and weapons
• अस्त्र-शस्त्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक) + śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (weapons and arms)

• अनेकानि: many
• अनेकानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aneka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; adjective of ‘अस्त्रशस्त्राणि’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to सः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; (Vīrabhadra implied)

• विसृजन्: releasing
• विसृजन्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-sṛj (धातु √sṛj/सृज्)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘while releasing’

• बभौ: appeared/shone
• बभौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhā (धातु √bhā/भा ‘to shine/appear’)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• विसृजन्: releasing
• विसृजन्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-sṛj (धातु √sṛj/सृज्)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; repeats for simile clause

• सर्व-भूतानि: all beings
• सर्व-भूतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; ‘सर्वाणि भूतानि’ (all beings)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (उपमा/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय) ‘as/just as’

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial locative form used as indeclinable; ‘in the beginning’

• विश्व-सम्भवः: the source of the universe
• विश्व-सम्भवः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + sambhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘विश्वस्य सम्भवः’ (origin/creator of the universe)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya in the Vayu Samhita style)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cosmogonic allusion (creation-beginning imagery)

FAQs

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

It uses battle imagery to point to a deeper Shaiva truth: all manifestation is an ordered “sending forth” that ultimately depends on the Supreme (Pati). The hero’s act resembles creation, reminding the seeker that the universe arises from a higher source and returns to it.

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

By comparing the hero to the cosmic origin, the verse supports Saguna contemplation—seeing divine power expressed through form and action. In Linga worship, the devotee similarly meditates on Shiva as the visible sign (Liṅga) of the invisible source from which all beings emerge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is creation-meditation with japa: contemplate Shiva as viśvasaṃbhava (source of all) while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” stabilizing the mind in the awareness that all appearances arise from and rest in Shiva.