Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

शिवशङ्खचूडयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Battle between Śiva and Śaṅkhacūḍa

Devanagari script

गदामाविध्य तरसा संचिक्षेप हरं प्रति । शंभुना सापि सहसा भिन्ना भस्मत्वमागता

Transliteration

gadāmāvidhya tarasā saṃcikṣepa haraṃ prati | śaṃbhunā sāpi sahasā bhinnā bhasmatvamāgatā

Translation

Hắn vung xoay cây chùy với sức mạnh dữ dội rồi ném thẳng về phía Hara. Nhưng Śambhu lập tức đập tan nó, khiến nó hóa thành tro bụi.

Word by Word

• gadām: mace
• gadām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• āvidhya: having whirled
• āvidhya: Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√vyadh/√vidh (धातु; ‘to whirl/brandish’)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having whirled/brandished’

• tarasā: with force
• tarasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial instrumental

• saṃcikṣepa: he hurled
• saṃcikṣepa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√kṣip (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• haram: Hara (Śiva)
• haram: Karma (कर्म; लक्ष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prati: towards
• prati: Dik/Pratiyogin (दिक्/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: Preposition-like indeclinable (उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय) governing accusative; direction/target

• śaṃbhunā: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhunā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sā: she/that (mace)
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun referring to ‘gadā’

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• sahasā: suddenly/violently
• sahasā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (शीघ्रत्व/बलवत्त्ववाचक अव्यय)

• bhinnā: broken
• bhinnā: Karta (कर्ता; resultant state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhid (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with ‘sā (gadā)’

• bhasmatvam: the state of ash
• bhasmatvam: Karma (कर्म; प्राप्ति-फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasma (प्रातिपदिक) + -tva (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); state/condition noun

• āgatā: became/attained
• āgatā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त), Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with ‘sā (gadā)’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Hara/Śambhu)

FAQs

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

It shows Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord whose will is unsurpassable: hostile force collapses before Him, and what is opposed to Dharma is dissolved into bhasma, symbolizing the inevitable dissolution of ego and aggression.

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

The episode highlights Saguna Śiva’s active grace and protection in the world; in Liṅga worship, devotees approach the same Śambhu who neutralizes negativity and grants refuge through His manifest, compassionate power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as the inner protector while applying bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) with remembrance of impermanence, and repeat the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a practice of surrender and purification.