Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 67

हिरण्यनेत्रस्य तपः — Hiraṇyanetra’s Austerity and the Boon

Devanagari script

वज्राशनेस्तुल्यमिहास्ति शस्त्रं भवादृशां नाशकरं च घोरम् । क्व ते शरीरं मृदुपद्मतुल्यं विचार्य चैवं कुरु रोचते यत्

Transliteration

vajrāśanestulyamihāsti śastraṃ bhavādṛśāṃ nāśakaraṃ ca ghoram | kva te śarīraṃ mṛdupadmatulyaṃ vicārya caivaṃ kuru rocate yat

Translation

此处有一件兵器，犹如因陀罗之金刚雷霆——凶猛可怖，足以毁灭你这等战士。然而你的身躯在哪里，竟柔嫩如软莲？如此思量之后，再行你真正认为合宜之事。

Word by Word

• vajrāśaneḥ: of the thunderbolt
• vajrāśaneḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajrāśani (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (vajraḥ āśaniḥ); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• tulyam: equal/like
• tulyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tulya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• asti: is
• asti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• śastram: weapon
• śastram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• bhavādṛśām: of those like you
• bhavādṛśām: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + dṛś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (bhavān iva dṛśyate ye); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Genitive plural: of people like you)

• nāśa-karam: destroying
• nāśa-karam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (nāśaṃ karoti iti); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• kva: where/what of
• kva: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, षष्ठी (Genitive: your)

• śarīram: body
• śarīram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• mṛdu-padma-tulyam: like a soft lotus
• mṛdu-padma-tulyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛdu (प्रातिपदिक) + padma (प्रातिपदिक) + tulya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (mṛduṃ padmam iva tulyaṃ); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vicārya: having considered
• vicārya: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√car (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) from vi-√car: having considered

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus)

• kuru: do
• kuru: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• rocate: pleases/seems good
• rocate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ruc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• yat: whatever/that which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun: what/that which)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the battlefield dialogue in the Yuddhakhaṇḍa)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Indra

FAQs

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

It contrasts outer force (a thunderbolt-like weapon) with inner discernment: the verse urges vicāra—clear reflection—so one acts according to dharma rather than fear, a key Shaiva approach where surrender to Shiva steadies the mind amid danger.

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

In the Yuddhakhaṇḍa’s Saguna narrative setting, the teaching supports Linga-centered devotion by implying that bodily fragility is real, but the devotee’s refuge is Shiva as Pati (Lord); remembrance of Shiva makes one act rightly even when the body is as delicate as a lotus.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is steadying the mind through Shiva-smaraṇa (remembrance) and japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” before decisive action, cultivating calm discernment (vicāra) rather than impulsive reaction.