Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 8

शिवशङ्खचूडयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Battle between Śiva and Śaṅkhacūḍa

Devanagari script

शिवदानवयोर्युद्धं शतमब्दं बभूव ह । बाणवर्षमिवोग्रं तद्वर्षतोर्मोघयोस्तदा

Transliteration

śivadānavayoryuddhaṃ śatamabdaṃ babhūva ha | bāṇavarṣamivograṃ tadvarṣatormoghayostadā

Translation

主宰湿婆与达那婆之间的战斗持续了一百年。其时箭雨凶猛如暴雨倾泻，然而对双方而言皆成徒然，谁也无法压倒对方。

Word by Word

• शिव: of Śiva
• शिव: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समास/सन्ध्यन्ते ‘शिव-दानवयोः’ इति द्वयोः षष्ठी-द्विवचनरूपेण

• दानवयोः: of the demon (and)
• दानवयोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; ‘शिव-दानवयोः’ = of Śiva and the demon

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; अत्र कर्तृवाच्ये प्रथमा

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘अब्दम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम् (numeral adjective)

• अब्दम्: years
• अब्दम्: अधिकरण (कालाधिकरण/Temporal extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणे द्वितीया (accusative of duration)

• बभूव: was/occurred
• बभूव: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ह: indeed
• ह: सम्बोधन/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), पदपूरण/उद्गारार्थ

• बाणवर्षम्: a shower of arrows
• बाणवर्षम्: उपमान (Upamāna/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बाणानां वर्षम् = shower of arrows)

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा-सम्बन्ध (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• उग्रम्: fierce
• उग्रम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तत्’ इत्यस्य/‘युद्धम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (context: fierce)

• तत्: that
• तत्: अनुवाद (Anaphoric reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम, पूर्वोक्त-निर्देश

• वर्षतोः: of the two showering (combatants)
• वर्षतोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वृष्/वर्ष्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त ‘वर्षत्’ = raining/causing to rain; ‘वर्षतोः’ = of the two who were showering

• मोघयोः: ineffective/fruitless
• मोघयोः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; ‘वर्षतोः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्—‘मोघ’ = fruitless/ineffective

• तदा: then
• तदा: अधिकरण (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: prolonged yuddha spanning a century (hyperbolic cosmic time-scale typical of Purāṇic narration)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Danavas

FAQs

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

It highlights that mere force and prolonged conflict cannot overcome the Supreme Lord; power used under pasha (bondage of ego and desire) becomes “mogha,” while refuge in Pati (Śiva) is the true means toward peace and liberation.

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

The verse depicts Saguna Śiva as the active Lord who engages in līlā to restore dharma; Linga-worship trains the devotee to see Śiva as the unshakable center beyond all ‘arrow-showers’ of worldly agitation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

As a takeaway, replace outer aggression with inner sādhana: japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and calm, steady remembrance of Śiva—supported by Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa for focused devotion.