Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 25

हिरण्यनेत्रस्य तपः — Hiraṇyanetra’s Austerity and the Boon

Devanagari script

नागान्सुपर्णान्वरराक्षसांश्च गंधर्वयक्षानपि मानुषांस्तु । गिरीन्द्रवृक्षान्समरेषु सर्वांश्चतुष्पदः सिंहमुखान्विजिग्ये

Transliteration

nāgānsuparṇānvararākṣasāṃśca gaṃdharvayakṣānapi mānuṣāṃstu | girīndravṛkṣānsamareṣu sarvāṃścatuṣpadaḥ siṃhamukhānvijigye

Translation

在诸般战斗中，那四足狮面者征服了一切——那伽、苏帕尔那、强大的罗刹、乾闼婆与夜叉，以及人间武士；甚至群山之主与林木也都被压服。

Word by Word

• nâgān: Nāgas/serpents
• nâgān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc), बहुवचन

• suparṇān: Suparṇas (Garudas/birds)
• suparṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suparṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• vara-rākṣasān: excellent demons (rākṣasas)
• vara-rākṣasān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदik) + rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘excellent rākṣasas’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• gandharva-yakṣān: Gandharvas and Yakṣas
• gandharva-yakṣān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandharva (प्रातिपदिक) + yakṣa (प्रातिपदic)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/समुच्चय (particle: ‘also/even’)

• mānuṣān: humans
• mānuṣān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānuṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेष (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• girīndra-vṛkṣān: mountain(-like) trees / trees of the mountain-lord
• girīndra-vṛkṣān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: girīndra (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदic)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘trees of the lord of mountains’ i.e., mountain-trees), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• samareṣu: in battles
• samareṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samara (प्रातिपदic)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Loc), बहुवचन

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदic)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies the listed groups)

• catuṣpadaḥ: the four-footed one (Andhaka)
• catuṣpadaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catuṣpada (प्रातिपदic)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन

• siṃha-mukhān: lion-faced (ones)
• siṃha-mukhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदic) + mukha (प्रातिपदic)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘lion-faced’ beings), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• vijigye: conquered
• vijigye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ji (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the battle account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Nāgas
• Suparṇas
• Rākṣasas
• Gandharvas
• Yakṣas
• Humans

FAQs

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

It portrays the irresistible dominance of divinely empowered force: all classes of beings and even seemingly immovable powers (mountains/trees) are subdued, echoing the Shaiva Siddhanta principle that Pati (the Supreme Lord) alone ultimately governs and overrules pasha (binding forces) and pashu (limited beings).

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

The battle imagery highlights Saguna Shiva’s sovereignty expressed through his manifested energies and agents; devotion to the Liṅga trains the mind to recognize that behind all worldly powers stands Shiva’s supreme lordship, which alone grants protection and final liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind in Shiva’s protection through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and, where traditional, wearing Rudrākṣa and applying Tripuṇḍra-bhasma as reminders of surrender amid conflict and fear.