Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 19

त्रिपुरदीक्षाविधानम् — Tripura Dīkṣā: Prescriptive Procedure

Chapter on the Ordinance of Initiation

Devanagari script

गंतुमर्हसि नाशार्थं मुण्डिंस्त्रिपुरवासिनाम् । तमोधर्मं संप्रकाश्य नाशयस्व पुरत्रयम्

Transliteration

gaṃtumarhasi nāśārthaṃ muṇḍiṃstripuravāsinām | tamodharmaṃ saṃprakāśya nāśayasva puratrayam

Translation

Dapat kang humayo para sa layunin ng pagwasak—upang pabagsakin ang mga Mundin na naninirahan sa Tripura. Matapos mailantad nang lubos ang kanilang tamasikong paraan ng pamumuhay, wasakin mo ang tatlong lungsod.

Word by Word

• गन्तुम्: to go
• गन्तुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावे कृदन्त (Infinitive), क्रियार्थक

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular)

• नाशार्थम्: for destruction
• नाशार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/उद्देश्य-भाव: नाशस्य अर्थः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मुण्डिन्: the shaven-headed one (Muṇḍin)
• मुण्डिन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुण्डिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• त्रिपुरवासिनाम्: of the inhabitants of Tripura
• त्रिपुरवासिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिपुर (प्रातिपदिक) + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: त्रिपुरे वसन्ति), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• तमोधर्मम्: the dark/ignorant dharma
• तमोधर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: तमसः धर्मः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• संप्रकाश्य: having made manifest / having revealed
• संप्रकाश्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-काश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय कृदन्त (Gerund/त्वान्त), पूर्वक्रिया

• नाशयस्व: destroy (you)
• नाशयस्व: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्/नाशय् (धातु; णिच्)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पुरत्रयम्: the three cities (Tripura)
• पुरत्रयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रयाणि पुराणि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva (issuing a command within the Tripura-destruction narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tripurāntaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Tripura episode: Śiva commands the exposure of tamasic conduct and the destruction of the three cities—symbolically the dissolution of triple impurities/bondages.

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Tripura

FAQs

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

The verse frames Shiva’s act of destruction as dharma-restoration: tamasic conduct (delusion, violence, egoic power) is first exposed, then removed by the Lord so that order and the path to liberation can re-emerge under divine grace.

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

Tripura-vadha highlights Saguna Shiva as the active Lord who intervenes in history to protect dharma. For devotees, Linga-worship is devotion to that same Shiva—both immanent and transcendent—who dispels darkness (tamas) and grants purification.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is tamas-nivṛtti (removal of inertia and delusion) through steady japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” supported by sattvic discipline; on Mahāśivarātri, this is traditionally intensified with night-long worship and inner vigilance.