Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 19

शङ्खचूडस्य मायायुद्धं तथा माहेश्वरास्त्रप्रभावः | Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Māyā-Warfare and the Power of the Māheśvara Astra

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा दानवेन्द्रोसौ ब्रह्मण्यः सत्यवाग्विभुः । तद्ददौ कवचं दिव्यं विप्राय प्राणसंमतम्

Transliteration

tacchrutvā dānavendrosau brahmaṇyaḥ satyavāgvibhuḥ | taddadau kavacaṃ divyaṃ viprāya prāṇasaṃmatam

Translation

闻此言后，达那婆之主——敬奉婆罗门、言语真实而威力无比——赐予那位婆罗门一副神圣护甲，珍若性命。

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Object pronoun

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• dānava-indraḥ: the lord of the Dānavas
• dānava-indraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दानवानाम् इन्द्रः)

• asau: that one (he)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Demonstrative pronoun ‘that (he)’

• brahmaṇyaḥ: devoted to Brahmins/pious
• brahmaṇyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahmaṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular adjective

• satya-vāk: truth-speaking
• satya-vāk: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक) + vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सत्या वाक् यस्य/सत्यवाक्)

• vibhuḥ: the mighty one
• vibhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Object pronoun

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• kavacam: armor
• kavacam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kavaca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• divyam: divine
• divyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular adjective

• viprāya: to a Brahmin
• viprāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; Dative singular

• prāṇa-saṃmatam: dear as life / life-approved
• prāṇa-saṃmatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃmata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्राणैः/प्राणवत् सम्मतम् = as dear as life)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Mantra Metadata

Type: kavaca

Characters & Entities

• Dānava
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

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

It highlights dharma even amid conflict: truthfulness and reverence for the spiritually learned (vipra) are portrayed as virtues that invite divine protection, suggesting that righteous conduct itself becomes a shield.

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

Though the verse speaks of a kavacha, the Shiva Purana’s wider Shaiva frame treats all true protection as ultimately grounded in Saguna Shiva’s grace—often approached through Linga worship, mantra, and disciplined dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is protective devotion: recitation of Shiva mantras (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as a mental kavacha, supported by truthful speech and dharmic conduct; where traditional, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) is also worn as a Shaiva mark of protection.