Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 47

द्वन्द्वयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Duel-Combats

Devanagari script

वीरभद्रस्ततस्तस्य हयान्बाणैरपातयत् । धनुश्चिच्छेद रथिनः पताकां चापि वेगतः

Transliteration

vīrabhadrastatastasya hayānbāṇairapātayat | dhanuściccheda rathinaḥ patākāṃ cāpi vegataḥ

Translation

于是，毗罗跋陀罗以箭矢射倒其战马；又以迅疾之力斩断车战武士之弓，并削落其战旗，使那战士在战场上的傲慢尽碎。

Word by Word

• vīrabhadraḥ: Vīrabhadra
• vīrabhadraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrabhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Proper noun; Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘heroic + auspicious’; Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• hayān: horses
• hayān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bāṇaiḥ: with arrows
• bāṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• apātayat: made (them) fall / felled
• apātayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिच्) of √pat; Lakāra: Laṅ (लङ्, imperfect/past), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ciccheda: cut/broke
• ciccheda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chid (धातु)
• Form: Lakāra: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• rathinaḥ: of the charioteer / of the one in a chariot
• rathinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rathin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• patākām: banner/flag
• patākām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patākā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात)

• vegataḥ: swiftly / due to speed
• vegataḥ: Hetu/Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-अर्थे क्रियाविशेषण); Masculine, Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the battle account to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra

FAQs

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

The verse portrays Vīrabhadra breaking the opponent’s power (horses, bow, and banner), symbolizing how Shiva’s divine agency destroys ego, pride, and unrighteous force—removing the supports by which arrogance “moves” and “stands.”

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

Vīrabhadra acts as Saguna Shiva’s manifested power—Shiva’s will operating through a form to uphold dharma. Devotion to the Linga recognizes Shiva as the supreme Pati whose śakti can both protect devotees and dismantle adharmic pride.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pair japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with inner renunciation of “supports of pride” (status, display, dominance), offering them mentally into Shiva—optionally supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of humility and surrender.