Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

दुन्दुभिनिर्ह्रादनिर्णयः / Dundubhinirhrāda’s Stratagem: Targeting the Brāhmaṇas

Devanagari script

किंबलाश्च किमाहारा किमाधारा हि निर्जराः । मया कथं सुजेयास्स्युरित्युपायमचिंतयत्

Transliteration

kiṃbalāśca kimāhārā kimādhārā hi nirjarāḥ | mayā kathaṃ sujeyāssyurityupāyamaciṃtayat

Translation

他思索对策，心中自问：“他们的力量何在？他们以何为资粮？这些不死的天众依凭什么？我又当以何法方能确然征服他们？”

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here used as interrogative prefix ‘what?’

• बलाः: strength (do they have)
• बलाः: कर्तृपूरक (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• किम्: what
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (interrogative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative prefix

• आहाराः: food/sustenance
• आहाराः: कर्तृपूरक (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (interrogative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative prefix

• आधाराः: support/basis
• आधाराः: कर्तृपूरक (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चय/हेतुबोधक (emphatic/causal particle)

• निर्जराः: the gods (immortals)
• निर्जराः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्जर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मया: by me / I
• मया: कर्ता (Kartā/Agent; thinker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• सुजेयाः: easily conquerable
• सुजेयाः: कर्तृपूरक (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + जेय (प्रातिपदिक; √जि)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive -य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्युः: might be
• स्युः: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: उद्धरण (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरणसूचक (quotative)

• उपायम्: a means
• उपायम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अचिन्तयत्: pondered/devised
• अचिन्तयत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Yuddhakhaṇḍa account)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Nirjaras (Devas)

FAQs

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

The verse points to discerning the hidden supports behind apparent power—strength, sustenance, and dependence—implying that worldly might is contingent, while in Shaiva Siddhanta true invincibility belongs to dependence on Pati (Shiva) rather than on transient supports.

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

By questioning the ‘support’ (ādhāra) of the deathless ones, the narrative implicitly contrasts contingent divine power with the ultimate support—Shiva as the supreme ādhāra. Linga worship centers on Shiva as that foundational reality upon which all beings and powers stand.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is self-inquiry before action: contemplate one’s true support and align with Shiva through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and steadiness in devotion, rather than relying solely on external strength.