Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10

शिवदूतेन युद्धनिश्चयः तथा देवदानवयुद्धारम्भः (Śiva’s Envoy and the Commencement of the Deva–Dānava War)

Devanagari script

कालम्बिकेन वरुणश्चंचलेन समीरणः । बुधश्च घटपृष्ठेन रक्ताक्षेण शनैश्चरः

Transliteration

kālambikena varuṇaścaṃcalena samīraṇaḥ | budhaśca ghaṭapṛṣṭhena raktākṣeṇa śanaiścaraḥ

Translation

Varuṇa (chúa tể thủy giới) cưỡi Kālambika; Samīraṇa (Thần Gió) cưỡi Caṃcala; Budha (Thủy Tinh) cưỡi Ghaṭapṛṣṭha; và Śanaiścara (Thổ Tinh) cưỡi Raktākṣa—mỗi vị đứng vào vị trí với thú cưỡi của mình trong trận đồ ấy.

Word by Word

• कालम्बिकेन: by Kālambika
• कालम्बिकेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालम्बिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चञ्चलेन: by Caṃcala
• चञ्चलेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चञ्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समीरणः: Samīraṇa (Wind)
• समीरणः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बुधः: Budha (Mercury)
• बुधः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• घटपृष्ठेन: by Ghaṭapṛṣṭha
• घटपृष्ठेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घट (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘घटस्य पृष्ठम्’

• रक्ताक्षेण: by Raktākṣa
• रक्ताक्षेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि/अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘रक्तम् अक्षि यस्य/रक्ताक्षः’ (red-eyed)

• शनैश्चरः: Śanaiścara (Saturn)
• शनैश्चरः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शनैश्चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Samīraṇa (Vāyu)
• Budha
• Śanaiścara (Saturn)

FAQs

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

It portrays the graha-deities and cosmic rulers as organized participants within a larger divine order, implying that planetary forces operate under higher sovereignty—ultimately under Mahādeva as Pati, the supreme governor beyond all embodied limitations.

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

By showing that even powerful deities like Varuṇa, Vāyu, Budha, and Śani take their assigned places, the text reinforces Saguna Shiva’s role as the Lord of cosmic administration; Linga-worship centers the devotee in that supreme axis, transcending fear of planetary afflictions through surrender and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind with japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and maintain Shaiva discipline (Tripuṇḍra/bhasma and Rudrākṣa where prescribed), cultivating refuge in Shiva rather than anxiety about graha influences.