Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 19

युद्धप्रसङ्गः—देवगणयुद्धे शिवविष्णुसंयोगः / Battle Episode—Śiva–Viṣṇu Convergence in the Devas’ Conflict

Devanagari script

शक्त्या जघान तं हस्ते स्मृत्वा मातृपदांबुजम् । स गणशो महावीरश्शिवशक्तिप्रवर्द्धितः

Transliteration

śaktyā jaghāna taṃ haste smṛtvā mātṛpadāṃbujam | sa gaṇaśo mahāvīraśśivaśaktipravarddhitaḥ

Translation

Nhớ đến đôi chân sen của Mẹ, chàng dùng tay tung đòn bằng thần lực. Vị đại dũng sĩ trong hàng Gaṇa ấy, được tăng trưởng bởi Thần năng của Śiva (Śiva-Śakti), liền chiếm thế thượng phong.

Word by Word

• शक्त्या: with power/with a weapon (śakti)
• शक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• जघान: struck/killed
• जघान: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हस्ते: in/on the hand
• हस्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having remembered)

• मातृ-पद-अम्बुजम्: the lotus of (his) mother's feet
• मातृ-पद-अम्बुजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + pada (प्रातिपदिक) + ambuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: मातुः पदस्य अम्बुजम् = mother's feet-lotus)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गणशः: as a gaṇa / in a troop-wise manner
• गणशः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: gaṇaśas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/विधिवाचक (adverb: in groups/altogether; here: as a gaṇa/gaṇa-chief)

• महा-वीरः: great hero
• महा-वीरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् वीरः)

• शिव-शक्ति-प्रवर्द्धितः: strengthened by Śiva’s power
• शिव-शक्ति-प्रवर्द्धितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + pra-varddhita (प्रातिपदिक; √vṛdh कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला (शिवस्य शक्त्या प्रवर्द्धितः = increased/strengthened by Śiva's power)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti (Divine Power)
• Mother (Devi/Parvati)
• Ganas

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that true strength is not merely physical; it arises from remembrance and surrender—here, recollection of the Mother’s lotus-feet and empowerment by Śiva-Śakti. In Shaiva understanding, victory comes through grace (anugraha) when the devotee aligns with Śiva and Śakti.

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

Though the verse is set in a battle narrative, it reflects Saguna worship: Śiva’s active power (Śiva-Śakti) supports his attendants, and devotion to the Divine Mother is integral to Śaiva practice. Linga-worship similarly centers on invoking Śiva’s living presence and receiving his empowering grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is smaraṇa (devotional remembrance): mentally dwelling on the lotus-feet of Śiva/Devī while repeating the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” optionally with rudrākṣa japa and vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) as supports for steadiness and Śiva-anugraha.