Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9

देवर्षि-प्रश्नः तथा असुर-वध-हेतुनिवेदनम् | The Devas’ Petition and the Cause for Slaying Asuras

Devanagari script

केचित्त्वद्वीर्यजातस्य तनयस्य महाप्रभो । मायावध्याः प्रभो केचिद्भविष्यंत्यसुरास्सदा

Transliteration

kecittvadvīryajātasya tanayasya mahāprabho | māyāvadhyāḥ prabho kecidbhaviṣyaṃtyasurāssadā

Translation

噢，大主，在由你神圣威能所生的诸子之中，有些将恒为阿修罗，唯可凭权谋与幻力（māyā）而诛；噢，主啊，亦将常有他者如此兴起。

Word by Word

• केचित्: some (people/beings)
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; indefinite pronoun ‘some’

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचनार्थे (genitive sense) अव्यक्त-रूप; ‘of you/your’ (used in compound)

• वीर्यजातस्य: of (one) born from (your) potency
• वीर्यजातस्य: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्य + जात (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular; tatpuruṣa ‘born of potency/seed’

• तनयस्य: of the son
• तनयस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular

• महाप्रभो: O great Lord
• महाप्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; vocative; karmadhāraya ‘great lord’

• मायावध्याः: (who are) to be slain by illusion
• मायावध्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया + वध्य (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; nominative plural; tatpuruṣa ‘killable by māyā/illusion’

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; vocative singular

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; indefinite pronoun ‘some’

• भविष्यन्ति: will be
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘will be’

• असुराः: demons
• असुराः: Karta (कर्ता/समास्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; nominative plural

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Brahmā (addressing Lord Śiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Asuras
• Maya

FAQs

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

It highlights that even beings arising within the cosmic order can embody opposing tendencies (āsuric), and that their subduing occurs through the Lord’s governance of māyā—showing Śiva as Pati who controls bondage (pāśa) and its resolution.

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

As Saguna Śiva, the Lord actively regulates creation through māyā and divine means; Linga worship centers on this supreme Lord who transcends yet commands māyā, granting protection and inner purification to devotees.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with devotion, coupled with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to overcome māyā-driven impulses within oneself.