Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

भद्रस्य देवसंघेषु विक्रमः

Bhadra’s Onslaught among the Deva Hosts

Devanagari script

वाराणस्येव मत्तस्य जगाम प्रेक्षणीयताम् । ततस्तत्क्षोभयामास महत्सुरबलं बली

Transliteration

vārāṇasyeva mattasya jagāma prekṣaṇīyatām | tatastatkṣobhayāmāsa mahatsurabalaṃ balī

Translation

他宛如狂醉之象，成为令人瞩目的景象；继而那位大力者搅动震荡，使诸天的大军陷入骚动。

Word by Word

• वाराणस्य: of Vārāṇasya
• वाराणस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive: of Vārāṇasī / of an elephant named Vārāṇasya)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमार्थक

• मत्तस्य: of the maddened one
• मत्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण (intoxicated/mad)

• जगाम: went/attained
• जगाम: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• प्रेक्षणीयताम्: a state of being worth seeing (spectacularness)
• प्रेक्षणीयताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेक्षणीयता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धित (state of being worth seeing)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनन्तरार्थक (then)

• तत्: that (it)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (referring to that/it)

• क्षोभयामास: agitated/disturbed
• क्षोभयामास: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect) causative (णिच्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; अर्थः—क्षोभितवान्/क्षोभयति स्म (caused to be agitated)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सुरबलम्: the army/force of the gods
• सुरबलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणां बलम्)

• बली: the mighty one
• बली: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; गुणवाचक-नाम (the strong one)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

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

The image of a “maddened elephant” conveys overwhelming, uncontrolled force; spiritually it mirrors how worldly power or ego can create kṣobha (agitation). Shaiva Siddhanta points the seeker toward Pati (Shiva) as the stabilizing refuge beyond such turbulence.

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

When cosmic order (even the devas’ host) is disturbed, devotees turn to Saguna Shiva—often worshipped as the Linga—as the accessible form of the Supreme who restores balance and grants inner steadiness amid external conflict.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter “kṣobha” with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya) and steadying practices like Tripundra (bhasma) remembrance and breath-centered meditation, seeking Shiva’s calm presence rather than reacting to agitation.