Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 50

दक्षस्य विष्णुं प्रति शरणागतिḥ — Dakṣa’s Appeal to Viṣṇu and the Teaching on Disrespect to Śiva

Devanagari script

स्वर्गे वा भुवि पाताले यत्र कुत्रापि वा यतः । श्रीवीरभद्रशस्त्राणां गमनं न हि दुर्ल भम्

Transliteration

svarge vā bhuvi pātāle yatra kutrāpi vā yataḥ | śrīvīrabhadraśastrāṇāṃ gamanaṃ na hi durla bham

Translation

Dù ở cõi trời, trên mặt đất hay nơi địa giới—ở bất cứ đâu—thì đối với vũ khí của Vīrabhadra vinh hiển, việc vươn tới và giáng kích quả thật chẳng hề khó khăn.

Word by Word

• svarge: in heaven
• svarge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय)

• bhuvi: on earth
• bhuvi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (भू प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pātāle: in the netherworld
• pātāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• kutra: anywhere/wherever
• kutra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutra (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/indefinite adverb (प्रश्न/अनिश्चित देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय)

• yataḥ: from wherever/whence
• yataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablatival relative adverb (अपादानार्थक-अव्यय)

• śrī-vīrabhadra-śastrāṇām: of the weapons of Śrī Vīrabhadra
• śrī-vīrabhadra-śastrāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (उपपद/प्रातिपदिक) + vīrabhadra (प्रातिपदिक) + śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘vīrabhadrasya śastrāṇi’ with honorific prefix śrī-

• gamanam: going/arrival
• gamanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• durlabham: difficult to obtain/rare
• durlabham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Tri-loka pervasion of Śiva’s punitive force (mythic total reach)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vīrabhadra

FAQs

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

It asserts the inescapable reach of Śiva’s divine order (dharma) through Vīrabhadra—no realm is outside the sovereignty of the Supreme (Pati), reminding the soul (paśu) that ego and adharmic acts cannot hide from divine correction.

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

Vīrabhadra represents Saguna Śiva’s active, protective, and corrective power. Linga-worship centers the devotee in Śiva’s presence, cultivating surrender so one aligns with Śiva’s will rather than resisting it through pride or sacrilege.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and devotion, contemplating Śiva as the protector whose grace and discipline reach everywhere.