Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

देवपराजयः — शङ्करशरणागमनं स्कन्दकालीयुद्धं च | Devas’ Defeat, Refuge in Śaṅkara, and the Battle of Skanda and Kālī

Devanagari script

बभंज तद्रथं दिव्यं चिच्छेद रथपीडकान् । मयूरं जर्जरीभूतं दिव्यास्त्रेण चकार सः

Transliteration

babhaṃja tadrathaṃ divyaṃ ciccheda rathapīḍakān | mayūraṃ jarjarībhūtaṃ divyāstreṇa cakāra saḥ

Translation

Hắn đập tan cỗ chiến xa thiên giới ấy, chém ngã những kẻ quấy nhiễu quanh xe, và bằng thần khí đã khiến con công làm tọa kỵ bị nghiền nát, tả tơi.

Word by Word

• बभञ्ज: broke
• बभञ्ज: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhañj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: भञ्ज् ‘to break’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (रथम्)

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (रथम्)

• चिच्छेद: cut (down)
• चिच्छेद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chid (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: छिद् ‘to cut’

• रथपीडकान्: the chariot-assailants
• रथपीडकान्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha + pīḍaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समास: रथ-पीडक (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष: ‘chariot-disturbers/attackers of the chariot’)

• मयूरम्: peacock
• मयूरम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mayūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जर्जरीभूतम्: shattered, reduced to pieces
• जर्जरीभूतम्: Karma (कर्म; qualifies mayūram)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jarjarī-bhūta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूत (क्त/PPP) from √भू ‘to become’; अव्ययीभाववत् भाव: ‘having become shattered’

• दिव्यास्त्रेण: with a divine weapon
• दिव्यास्त्रेण: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divya + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समास: दिव्य-अस्त्र (कर्मधारय: ‘divine weapon’)

• चकार: made (caused)
• चकार: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: कृ ‘to do/make’

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, within the Yuddhakhaṇḍa battle account)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse portrays the Lord’s decisive removal of hostile forces and supports, symbolizing how Shiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) destroys the soul’s external props of pride and aggression, breaking pasha (bondage) so the pashu (bound being) can move toward liberation by grace.

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

In Saguna worship, devotees contemplate Shiva as the active protector who intervenes in dharma. This martial imagery supports devotional focus (bhakti) on Shiva’s manifest power, which ultimately points back to the Linga as the steady, transcendent reality behind all actions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pair japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with inner surrender, visualizing Shiva’s grace as the ‘divine astra’ that cuts mental afflictions; optionally reinforce with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of renunciation and protection.