Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

विष्णुचेष्टितवर्णनम् / Account of Viṣṇu’s Stratagem and Its Aftermath

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे द्वितीयायां रुद्रसंहितायां पञ्चमे युद्धखण्डे जलंधरवधानंतरदेवीस्तुतिविष्णुमोहविध्वंसवर्णनं नाम षड्विंशोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe dvitīyāyāṃ rudrasaṃhitāyāṃ pañcame yuddhakhaṇḍe jalaṃdharavadhānaṃtaradevīstutiviṣṇumohavidhvaṃsavarṇanaṃ nāma ṣaḍviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

如是，在《吉祥湿婆摩诃往世书》中，于第二部《鲁陀罗集》（Rudra Saṃhitā）之第五分《战争品》（Yuddha-khaṇḍa）内，第二十六章至此终了，章名为：“诛灭阇兰陀罗之后，女神赞颂、毗湿奴受迷惑及其迷惑被摧破之记述”。

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative/end marker)

• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + शिव + महा + पुराण (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (honorific + name + epithet); नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

• द्वितीयायाम्: in the second
• द्वितीयायाम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying संहितायाम्)

• रुद्र-संहितायाम्: in the Rudra-saṃhitā
• रुद्र-संहितायाम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + संहिता (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रुद्रस्य संहिता); स्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्

• पञ्चमे: in the fifth
• पञ्चमे: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying खण्डे)

• युद्ध-खण्डे: in the Yuddha-khaṇḍa (war section)
• युद्ध-खण्डे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध + खण्ड (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (युद्धस्य खण्डः); नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्

• जलंधर-वध-अनन्तर-देवी-स्तुति-विष्णु-मोह-विध्वंस-वर्णनम्: the description of: after Jalaṃdhara’s slaying, the Goddess’s praise, and the destruction of Viṣṇu’s delusion
• जलंधर-वध-अनन्तर-देवी-स्तुति-विष्णु-मोह-विध्वंस-वर्णनम्: विशेष्य (Title/Name)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलंधर + वध + अनन्तर + देवी + स्तुति + विष्णु + मोह + विध्वंस + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (topic-title compound); नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (colophon title; here with ‘नाम’)

• नाम: named
• नाम: सम्बन्धसूचक (Naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः (indeclinable usage meaning ‘named/called’)

• षड्विंशः: twenty-sixth
• षड्विंशः: विशेषण (Adjectival to अध्यायः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड्विंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; क्रमवाचक/संख्यावाचक (ordinal)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/topic: chapter)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (traditional Purāṇic narrator concluding the chapter to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Colophon verse summarizing the chapter’s contents: Jalaṃdhara’s slaying, Devī-stuti, Viṣṇu’s delusion and its destruction.

Significance: Textual marker used in recitation/tradition to delimit the adhyāya; supports pāṭha/śravaṇa merit rather than a site-specific tīrtha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Devi
• Jalandhara

FAQs

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

This is a chapter-colophon that summarizes the teaching-focus: after Jalaṃdhara’s fall, devotion (Devī-stuti) and the destruction of delusion (moha) are highlighted—pointing, in Shaiva thought, to Shiva’s grace as the power that dispels māyā and restores right discernment.

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

By framing the narrative as the removal of moha, it supports Saguna Shiva worship (including Liṅga-upāsanā) as a practical means to stabilize bhakti and clarity; in Shaiva Siddhanta, such worship becomes a channel for anugraha that loosens bondage (pāśa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is stuti and nāma-smaraṇa: recite Shiva/Devī hymns and repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to counter moha; accompanying practices may include bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as supports for steady remembrance.