Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 53

वीरभद्र–देवयुद्धवर्णनम्

Vīrabhadra and the Battle with the Devas

Devanagari script

व्यपोथयद्भृगुं यावन्मणिभद्रः प्रतापवान् । पदाक्रम्योरसि तदाऽकार्षीत्तच्छ्मश्रुलुंचनम्

Transliteration

vyapothayadbhṛguṃ yāvanmaṇibhadraḥ pratāpavān | padākramyorasi tadā'kārṣīttacchmaśruluṃcanam

Translation

قوی و باجلال مَنی بھدر نے بھِرگو کو دیر تک مار مار کر پاش پاش کیا؛ پھر اس کے سینے پر پاؤں رکھ کر زبردستی اس کی مونچھ نوچ لی۔

Word by Word

• व्यपोथयत्: shook/harassed
• व्यपोथयत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+अप+उथ्/पुथ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘shook/tormented’

• भृगुम्: Bhṛgu
• भृगुम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• यावत्: until/as long as
• यावत्: काल-सम्बन्ध (Temporal limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यावदर्थक (as long as/until)

• मणिभद्रः: Maṇibhadra
• मणिभद्रः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• प्रतापवान्: mighty
• प्रतापवान्: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to मणिभद्रः)

• पद-आक्रम्य: having stepped/pressed
• पद-आक्रम्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक) + आ+क्रम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having stepped/pressed with the foot’

• उरसि: on the chest
• उरसि: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• अकार्षीत्: pulled
• अकार्षीत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘pulled/dragged’

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object, deictic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; निर्देश (that)

• श्मश्रु-लुञ्चनम्: plucking of the beard
• श्मश्रु-लुञ्चनम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मश्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + लुञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक; लुञ्च् धातु-न्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (श्मश्रूणां लुञ्चनम्)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Part of Dakṣa-yajña-bhaṅga: Śiva’s gaṇas punish the officiants and instigators; Maṇibhadra humiliates Bhṛgu, a key ritual authority aligned with Dakṣa.

Significance: Teaches that pride in ritual expertise (karma-śreṣṭhatā) without reverence to Śiva becomes a cause of downfall; humility is the true dakṣiṇā.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇibhadra
• Bhṛgu

FAQs

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

It portrays the consequence of arrogance and insult toward Śiva’s side; in a Shaiva Siddhānta lens, it underscores that disrespect (apacāra) binds the soul further, while humility and reverence loosen pāśa (bondage) and restore dharma.

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

Maṇibhadra, as a gaṇa of Saguna Śiva, acts to uphold Śiva’s manifested order and honor; the episode reinforces that devotion to Śiva’s sacred presence—especially the Liṅga and Śiva’s retinue—requires discipline, respect, and right conduct.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is ethical purification alongside worship: approach Śiva-pūjā with humility, recite the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with restraint of speech and ego, and maintain Śiva-upacāra (proper reverential conduct) as an inner discipline.