Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 58

वीरभद्र–देवयुद्धवर्णनम्

Vīrabhadra and the Battle with the Devas

Devanagari script

अंतर्वेद्यंतरगतं निलीनं तद्भयाद्बलात् । आनिनाय समाज्ञाय वीरभद्रेः स्वभूश्चुतम्

Transliteration

aṃtarvedyaṃtaragataṃ nilīnaṃ tadbhayādbalāt | ānināya samājñāya vīrabhadreḥ svabhūścutam

Translation

他藏身于祭祀内坛的围界之中（坛座之域），潜伏不出；但因恐惧，终被强行带出——维罗婆陀罗自湿婆自身之地力/神能中涌现，识破并擒住了他。

Word by Word

• अन्तर्वेदि: inside the altar-area
• अन्तर्वेदि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर् (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + वेदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समास); सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (अन्तः वेद्याः)

• अन्तरगतम्: gone inside / entered within
• अन्तरगतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर् (अव्यय) + गत (गम् धातु + क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; (अन्तरं गतः)

• निलीनम्: hidden / concealed
• निलीनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + ली (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP) विशेषण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (भयात् इत्यस्य)

• भयात्: from fear
• भयात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverb: forcibly)

• आनिनाय: brought
• आनिनाय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु) (आ + नी)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सम्: together / completely (prefix)
• सम्: Upasarga (उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्ग (preverb)

• आज्ञाय: having ordered / having commanded
• आज्ञाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), सम्-आ-उपसर्गयुक्त

• वीरभद्रेः: of Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रेः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; (पाठे असामान्य-रूपम्; अपेक्षितं: वीरभद्रस्य)

• स्वभूः: Svabhū (proper name)
• स्वभूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (समास/विशेषनाम)

• चुतम्: fallen / slipped down
• चुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: च्यु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP) विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Sati Khanda episode to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Virabhadra
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights that fear and concealment cannot protect adharmic action; Shiva’s power, manifest as Vīrabhadra, restores dharma by exposing and restraining those who misuse sacred rites for ego.

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

Vīrabhadra is a Saguna manifestation of Shiva’s protective and corrective grace—showing that the transcendent Lord also acts within history to uphold sacred order when worship becomes empty ritual without devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to perform yajna, japa, and puja with humility and Shiva-bhakti—supporting practice with Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and purity of intention rather than mere external performance.