Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 11

अन्धकादिदैत्ययुद्धे वीरकविजयः — Vīraka’s Victory over Andhaka’s Forces

Devanagari script

भग्नैस्तु दैत्यैर्भगवान् पिनाकी व्रतं महापाशुपतं सुघोरम् । प्रियेः मया यत्कृतपूर्वमासीद्दाक्षायणीं प्राह सुसांत्वयित्वा

Transliteration

bhagnaistu daityairbhagavān pinākī vrataṃ mahāpāśupataṃ sughoram | priyeḥ mayā yatkṛtapūrvamāsīddākṣāyaṇīṃ prāha susāṃtvayitvā

Translation

Khi bọn Daitya đã bị đánh tan, Đấng Thế Tôn Pinākin (Śiva), sau khi dịu dàng an ủi Dākṣāyaṇī (Satī), liền nói về pháp hạnh Mahāpāśupata vô cùng dữ dội mà Ngài từng thực hành vì nàng thuở trước.

Word by Word

• bhagnaiḥ: by the defeated
• bhagnaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘भग्नैः’ = ‘by the broken/defeated’

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• daityaiḥ: by the Daityas (demons)
• daityaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• pinākī: Pinākin (bearer of the bow Pināka)
• pinākī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pinākin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इकारान्त-प्रातिपदिक

• vratam: a vow/observance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• mahā-pāśupatam: the great Pāśupata (vow)
• mahā-pāśupatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + pāśupata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: महत् pāśupatam (कर्मधारय)

• su-ghoram: very terrible
• su-ghoram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: सु घोरम् (कर्मधारय)

• priye: O beloved
• priye: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; (पाठे ‘प्रियेः’ इति दृश्यते, अर्थतः ‘प्रिये’ voc. sg)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन

• yat: which/that (which)
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• kṛta-pūrvam: done previously
• kṛta-pūrvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृ-धातु, क्त-कृदन्त) + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: पूर्वं कृतम् (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव) = done before

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• dākṣāyaṇīm: Dākṣāyaṇī (Satī)
• dākṣāyaṇīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dākṣāyaṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āh (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• su-sāṃtvayitvā: having well consoled (her)
• su-sāṃtvayitvā: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + sāṃtvay (धातु, causative denom.)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘सान्त्वयित्वा’ with intensifier ‘सु-’; अव्ययीभाव-भावः

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the episode of Lord Śiva speaking to Satī/Dākṣāyaṇī)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati (Dakshayani)
• Daityas
• Pashupata (Mahapashupata Vrata)

FAQs

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

It portrays Śiva as Pati—the compassionate Lord who first protects and restores (by defeating the daityas), then instructs and uplifts (by teaching the Mahāpāśupata observance). The sequence highlights that liberation arises from divine grace joined to disciplined Śaiva practice.

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

By naming Śiva as Pinākin and pointing to a specific Śaiva observance (Mahāpāśupata), the verse emphasizes Saguna devotion—approaching Śiva with form, attributes, vows, and worship—through which His grace removes obstacles and strengthens the seeker’s steadiness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to undertaking a Śaiva vrata (Mahāpāśupata)—a disciplined observance typically supported by purity, mantra-japa (especially Śiva-mantras), and austerity performed in devotion to Śiva, seeking His anugraha (grace) rather than mere power.