Śaṅkhacūḍa War in the Śiva Purāṇa

The Śaṅkhacūḍa war is the second great war in the Yuddha Khaṇḍa of the Rudra Saṃhitā of the Śiva Purāṇa. It fills Chapters 27 to 41. Śaṅkhacūḍa was an asura, a son of the dānava king Daṃbha. In an earlier birth he was Sudāmā, a gopāla (cowherd) and companion of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa in Goloka. Rādhā cursed him to be born as a dānava.

The narrative tells of his birth, his marriage to Tulasī, his conquest of the three worlds, and the great meeting at Śivaloka. It then tells of the war at the Candrabhāgā river and his death at the triśūla (trident) of Bhagavān Śiva. After that, Bhagavān Vishṇu deceives Tulasī, and she pronounces a great śāpa (curse). From it comes the Śālagrāma stone of the Gaṇḍakī river.

Daṃbha’s tapas and Śaṅkhacūḍa’s birth

The line of Śaṅkhacūḍa begins with Kaśyapa, the father of all beings. One of Kaśyapa’s wives was Danu, the mother of the dānavas. One of her sons was Vipracitti, also called Vishṇucitta. Vipracitti’s son was Daṃbha. Daṃbha was a devoted bhakta of Bhagavān Vishṇu. He was virtuous and had his senses under control, but he had no child.

Sad at this, Daṃbha took Śukrācārya as his guru and received the Kṛshṇa mantra. He then did severe tapas (austerity) for a hundred thousand years at the tīrtha of Pushkara.

His tapas gave out terrible heat and light. The devas, the munis and the manus were all scorched. They could not bear it, so they went to Brahmā and then to Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Vishṇu knew that his own bhakta was doing this tapas for a son. He went to Pushkara and gave Daṃbha a vara (boon). The son would be a devotee of Bhagavān Vishṇu, supremely heroic, and unbeatable even by the devas. At the moment the vara was given, the heat died away.

Daṃbha went home, and his wife became pregnant. The one who entered her womb was Sudāmā the gopāla. He was the foremost companion of Śrī Kṛshṇa in Goloka, and Rādhā had cursed him to be born as a dānava. In time the child was born, shining, mighty and full of divine tejas (radiance). Daṃbha named him Śaṅkhacūḍa at an auspicious muhūrta (moment). The boy grew fast, like the waxing moon. This is told in Chapter 27.

Śaṅkhacūḍa’s tapas and marriage to Tulasī

When Śaṅkhacūḍa grew up, he was taught by Jaigīshavya Maharshi. Then he did his own tapas at Pushkara, meditating on Brahmā with one-pointed devotion. Brahmā was pleased. He appeared and offered a vara. Śaṅkhacūḍa asked to be unbeatable by all the devas. Brahmā gave it at once. Brahmā also gave him the Śrī Kṛshṇa Kavaca, a divine armour of unmatched power. It is called the most auspicious of all auspicious things and gives victory at all times and in all places.

Then Brahmā told him: “Go to Badarī. There you will find Tulasī, the daughter of Dharmadhvaja, doing her own tapas. Marry her.”

Śaṅkhacūḍa wore the Kavaca around his neck and set out for Badarīkāśrama. There he found Tulasī, beautiful, of fine character and deep in tapas. He went up to her and spoke. Tulasī was careful at first. She tested him with sharp words. She spoke of women as chains for those who practise spiritual life, and told him to move on.

Śaṅkhacūḍa answered calmly and with dignity. He said he was the son of Daṃbha. Then he told her who he had been before: Sudāmā the gopāla, the dear companion of Kṛshṇa. He said that Rādhā’s curse had brought him to this birth.

Tulasī heard his pure character and his truthful words. She said: “A man who is conquered by a woman is always impure; but a man who conquers a woman through virtue is the most worthy.” She had only been testing him, and he had passed.

At that moment Brahmā himself appeared and blessed the union. Śaṅkhacūḍa and Tulasī were married in the gāndharva rite. Brahmā also foretold two things. After Śaṅkhacūḍa’s death he would return to Goloka and join Kṛshṇa again. Tulasī would reach the four-armed Vishṇu in Vaikuṇṭha. This is told in Chapter 28.

Conquest of the three worlds

After the marriage, Śaṅkhacūḍa went back to the dānava realm with Tulasī. The dānavas and rākshasas all gathered. With great joy they crowned him king, with Śukrācārya as his royal guru. At once he set out to conquer (jaitra-yātrā).

The devas, led by Indra, came out to fight. They could not stand against three powers together: Śaṅkhacūḍa’s own tejas, the strength of the Śrī Kṛshṇa Kavaca, and the protecting śakti of Tulasī’s pativratā (faithful wife’s) vow. All the devas fled into caves and forests. They lost their high places.

Śaṅkhacūḍa took on the work of Indra, Sūrya, Candra, Agni, Yama, Vāyu and Kubera all at once. The three worlds grew rich under his rule. There was no disease, no drought and no suffering for any living being. Yet the devas stayed in exile and in grief. This is told in Chapter 29.

The devas’ petition at Vaikuṇṭha

The devas went to Brahmā. He took them all to Vaikuṇṭha to ask Bhagavān Vishṇu for help. Bhagavān Vishṇu heard them. Then he told them the whole story of Sudāmā and Śaṅkhacūḍa:

In Goloka, Sudāmā had become proud of his own independence.
Bhagavān Śiva had arranged Rādhā’s curse through his māyā to correct this pride.
Kṛshṇa himself had bowed to the authority of Bhagavān Śiva.
Bhagavān Śiva had promised that he himself would free the cursed ātmā when the time came.

Bhagavān Vishṇu then said: “Let us go to Śivaloka. Śaṅkhacūḍa can be killed only by Śiva. Let us ask Śiva for help.” This is also told in Chapter 29.

Brahmā and Vishṇu at Śivaloka

Bhagavān Vishṇu, with Brahmā and all the devas, travelled to Śivaloka. This realm is supremely divine. It holds itself up and is not made of the five elements. It had fifteen gates. Each gate was guarded by magnificent gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants), five-faced and ten-armed, carrying triśūlas and wearing rudrāksha beads and bhasma (sacred ash).

Bhagavān Vishṇu and Brahmā passed through all fifteen gates. They came to the great assembly hall of Bhagavān Śiva. It was vast, set with jewels, full of fragrance, with a thousand ministers, all blazing with light. In the centre, on a throne of gems, sat Bhagavān Śiva. He was calm and garlanded. He was chewing Pārvatī’s betel, being fanned with white cāmaras (fly-whisks), and watching celestial music and dance with a smile.

Brahmā and Bhagavān Vishṇu bowed low and offered a great stotra (hymn of praise) to Bhagavān Śiva. In it they said:

Śiva is the Parabrahman beyond all guṇas. Brahmā, Vishṇu and Rudra are the three forms of the three guṇas, born from his body.
Kṛshṇa is Śiva’s own avatāra. He keeps Śiva’s own cows in Goloka, which lies next to Śivaloka.
Rādhā is the fifth śakti, after Pārvatī, Lakshmī, Sarasvatī and Gāyatrī.
Śaṅkhacūḍa has driven the devas from all their places, and only Śiva can kill him.
Śiva alone is the supreme Parabrahman, and the non-difference of Śiva and Vishṇu (abheda) is the highest truth.

At this gathering a voice from the sky (ākāśavāṇī) spoke. It said that a person who imagines any difference between Śiva and Vishṇu will be rejected by his children and grandchildren in this world, and will go to naraka (hell) after death. This is told in Chapter 30.

Śiva’s words and Kṛshṇa’s arrival

Bhagavān Śiva heard the stotra and confirmed the whole account. He spoke of Sudāmā’s pride in Goloka. He spoke of the māyā he had arranged, which led to Rādhā’s curse. He spoke of how Kṛshṇa and Rādhā had then bowed to him, and of his own promise to free them.

At that very moment Śrī Kṛshṇa himself arrived at Śivaloka, with Rādhā and his gopāla companions. Kṛshṇa bowed before Bhagavān Śiva and offered his own stotra. In it he named Śiva as the Parabrahman and himself as Śiva’s cowherd. He accepted that everything in his Goloka works by Śiva’s will.

Bhagavān Śiva then gave clear orders. Bhagavān Vishṇu and Brahmā should go to Kailāsa and meet the full form of Rudra there. Rudra is Śiva’s complete form, which came down to protect the worlds. All the devas should go with them to the battle. Kṛshṇa and Rādhā went back to Goloka.

The whole divine assembly came down to Kailāsa. There the devas begged Rudra, who is Śiva in his Kailāsa form. He agreed to fight Śaṅkhacūḍa and destroy him. This is told in Chapter 31.

Pushpadanta goes to Śaṅkhacūḍa

Bhagavān Śiva sent his dear gandharva gaṇa Pushpadanta, also called Citraratha, as his messenger (dūta) to Śaṅkhacūḍa. Śaṅkhacūḍa’s great city had twelve gates and was finer than the city of Kubera. Pushpadanta gave Śiva’s warning: give back the devas’ kingdoms and places, or face battle.

Śaṅkhacūḍa sat among thirty million heroic rākshasas and another hundred crore soldiers. He heard the message and answered with full dignity: “I will not give up what warriors have won without a fight. Tell Rudra that I will march to him myself.”

Pushpadanta answered just as firmly. He said that even Śiva’s gaṇas were beyond what Śaṅkhacūḍa could face. What could Śaṅkhacūḍa hope against Śiva himself? But Śaṅkhacūḍa was not moved, and chose war. This is told in Chapter 32.

Śiva’s army gathers

Bhagavān Śiva heard the report. He called his forces to gather at once: Vīrabhadra, Nandī, Kshetrapāla, the eight Bhairavas and all the leaders of the gaṇas (gaṇādhyakshas). Bhadrakālī was to lead her own forces together with Kārttikeya.

These gaṇādhyakshas gathered:

Vīrabhadra, with a thousand crore bhūtas, three crore pramathas and sixty-seven crore lomajus.
Sukeśa, Vṛshabha and Virūpāksha, each with sixty-four crore forces.
Tālaketu, Shaḍāsya, Pañcāsya, Saṃvartaka, Caitra, Laṅkuleśa, Svayamprabhu, Lokāntaka, Dīpātmā, Daityāntaka, Bhṛṅgi, Riṭi, Aśani, Bhānuka, Kaṅkāla, Kāla, Nandī and Sarvāntaka, and countless others.

All these followed Bhagavān Śiva as well: the eight Bhairavas, the eleven Rudras, the eight Vasus, Indra, the twelve Ādityas, Agni, Candra, Viśvakarman, the two Aśvins, Kubera, Yama, Nirṛti, Nalakūbara, Vāyu, Varuṇa, Budha, Maṅgala and Kāmadeva.

Bhadrakālī came herself with a hundred arms. She wore crimson clothes, crimson garlands and red sandal paste. She sang, danced and laughed, and her tongue stretched a full yojana. She was terrible and magnificent. She carried thirty-two great weapons, among them the śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, padma, khaḍga, dhanus, bāṇa, kapāla, mudgara, musala and triśūla.

She also carried a full set of divine astras: the vaishṇava, vāruṇa, vāyavya, nāgapāśa, nārāyaṇa, gāndharva, brahma, gāruḍa, paurajanya, pāśupata, jṛmbhaṇa, pārvata, mahāvīra, saura, kālakāla, mahānala and mahāśvara, and many others. Three crore Ḍākinīs and three crore Yoginīs came with her.

The whole host camped at the Candrabhāgā river under a great banyan tree. Bhagavān Śiva chose this place for his base camp. This is told in Chapter 33.

Śaṅkhacūḍa’s march and farewell to Tulasī

Śaṅkhacūḍa heard the messenger’s report. He went into his inner rooms and told Tulasī everything. He gave the kingdom to his son and put Tulasī in his son’s care. He gave generous dāna (gifts) and did his morning rites. Then he gathered his huge host: eighty-six pāṭalas (armies of the nether worlds), with three hundred thousand akshauhiṇīs of daityas, dānavas and others.

The march led toward the holy Siddhāśrama on the Pushpabhadrā river. This place lies east of the western ocean, west of Malaya mountain, north of Śrīśaila and south of Mount Gandhamādana. There they met Śiva’s host. This is told in Chapter 34.

The messenger’s debate with Śiva

Śaṅkhacūḍa sent his own learned messenger to Bhagavān Śiva. He found Śiva sitting under the banyan at the Candrabhāgā camp. Śiva shone like ten crore suns. He was at peace and smiling, with Kārttikeya on his left and Bhadrakālī before him.

The messenger bowed and heard Śiva’s first advice. Śaṅkhacūḍa should give back the devas’ kingdoms, remembering that he was a bhakta of Kṛshṇa. Betraying one’s own kind, said Śiva, is the greatest pāpa (sin) of all, worse even than killing a brāhmaṇa.

The messenger was sharp, and Śaṅkhacūḍa had prepared him well. He answered: “You say betraying one’s kin is the worst pāpa. But does this rule hold only for rākshasas and not for devas? What of Vishṇu cutting off the heads of Madhu and Kaiṭabha? What of your own destruction of Tripura? What of Vāmana taking Bali’s kingdom? What of the devas taking the amṛta from the asuras after the churning of the ocean?”

Bhagavān Śiva laughed heartily at this skilful debate. Then he gave a deeper answer about the purpose behind each of these acts. He said that Śiva does not act from favour to one side, but from dharma and for the good of his bhaktas. The debate ended with Śaṅkhacūḍa firm in his decision to fight. This is told in Chapter 35.

The great war

The war between Śiva’s host and Śaṅkhacūḍa’s armies began. Among the main pairs of fighters were:

Indra against Vṛshaparvan.
Vishṇu against Daṃbha, Śaṅkhacūḍa’s father.
Yama against Saṃhāra.
Varuṇa against Kolaṃbika.
Many other pairs across the whole host.

Many asuras fell in the first fighting. But Śaṅkhacūḍa stayed safe, guarded by the Śrī Kṛshṇa Kavaca and by Tulasī’s unbroken pativratā vow. No weapon could wound him to death. This is told in Chapter 36.

Kārttikeya’s fall and the warning to Bhadrakālī

Kārttikeya came to fight Śaṅkhacūḍa. His special weapon was disabled. The asura struck him down, and he fell.

Bhadrakālī, also called Kālī, came forward to save Kārttikeya and faced Śaṅkhacūḍa herself. At that moment a voice from the sky warned her: “Bhadrakālī, you cannot kill Śaṅkhacūḍa. Do not use the Pāśupata astra on him.” She had to step back.

Then Vīrabhadra faced Śaṅkhacūḍa, with the same result. The armour and the shield of the pativratā vow together made Śaṅkhacūḍa impossible to destroy in direct fight. This is told in Chapters 37 and 38.

Śaṅkhacūḍa’s death

The war lasted a hundred years. Śaṅkhacūḍa’s armies were slowly destroyed. Then Bhagavān Śiva himself entered the battle, riding his bull Nandī. When Śaṅkhacūḍa saw Śiva, he stepped down from his chariot and bowed before him. Even in battle he knew Śiva’s supreme nature. But the time had now come.

Śiva’s triśūla pierced Śaṅkhacūḍa’s heart. As the weapon struck, a shining purusha (divine being) came out of the wound. It was the freed ātmā of Sudāmā the gopāla, released at last from his dānava body. He was on his way back to Goloka and to Kṛshṇa. This is told in Chapter 39.

Vishṇu takes Śaṅkhacūḍa’s form

Śaṅkhacūḍa’s death left Tulasī a widow, and a pativratā of the highest kind.

Bhagavān Vishṇu, acting on Bhagavān Śiva’s direction, had already got the Śrī Kṛshṇa Kavaca from Śaṅkhacūḍa before he died. In the last battle he had come to him in the form of a brāhmaṇa and asked for the Kavaca as a gift. Śaṅkhacūḍa was generous and followed dharma, so he did not refuse. Without the Kavaca, Śiva’s triśūla could strike.

Now Bhagavān Vishṇu wore the Kavaca. He took the exact form, look and manner of Śaṅkhacūḍa, and went to Tulasī. This is told in Chapter 40.

Tulasī’s śāpa and the origin of Śālagrāma

Tulasī welcomed the one she thought was her husband, home from the war. But as she spoke with him, she began to notice small differences. The nature of the purusha before her was not quite that of Śaṅkhacūḍa. Her inner knowledge as a pativratā began to work. She asked pointed questions. Little by little, and then fully, she knew that it was Bhagavān Vishṇu beneath the disguise.

The knowledge brought great grief. Tulasī had kept her vow perfectly pure, and it had been the source of her husband’s protection. Now she understood that Bhagavān Vishṇu, whom she worshipped, had shared in her husband’s death and had then deceived her.

Out of this grief, and with full righteousness, she pronounced a great śāpa on Bhagavān Vishṇu: “You shall become stone!” He could not escape this śāpa, because the power of her vow was sovereign. The śāpa was fulfilled. Bhagavān Vishṇu became the Śālagrāma stones in the Gaṇḍakī river (the Gandak river of Nepal and Bihar), which arises from Tulasī’s own body. On these stones the marks of the cakra are cut by worms. They are the Gaṇḍakī worms, which cut Vishṇu’s cakra into the Śālagrāma for ever, because Vishṇu’s own Sudarśana Cakra was present in the deception.

Bhagavān Śiva then appeared and comforted Tulasī. He explained the whole purpose of what had happened: the plan to free Sudāmā, the need for Śaṅkhacūḍa’s death, and the lasting glory waiting for her. He set down the sacred rules for the pūjā of Śālagrāma, Tulasī and Śaṅkha. He said that Śālagrāma together with a Tulasī leaf is the most powerful act of Vishṇu pūjā in all creation.

Tulasī was then given her divine form and reached Vaikuṇṭha. There the four-armed Vishṇu received her, as Brahmā had promised. This is told in Chapter 41.

Sources

Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṃhitā, Yuddha Khaṇḍa, Chapters 27–41
Chapter 27: Daṃbha’s tapas and Śaṅkhacūḍa’s birth
Chapter 28: Śaṅkhacūḍa’s tapas and marriage to Tulasī
Chapter 29: the conquest of the three worlds and the devas’ petition
Chapter 30: the stotra of Brahmā and Vishṇu at Śivaloka
Chapter 31: Śiva’s words, Kṛshṇa’s arrival and the gathering at Kailāsa
Chapter 32: the messenger Pushpadanta
Chapter 33: Śiva’s army and Bhadrakālī
Chapter 34: Śaṅkhacūḍa’s march
Chapter 35: the messenger’s debate with Śiva
Chapter 36: the battle pairs
Chapters 37–38: Kārttikeya’s fall and the warning to Bhadrakālī
Chapter 39: Śaṅkhacūḍa’s death
Chapter 40: Vishṇu takes Śaṅkhacūḍa’s form
Chapter 41: Tulasī’s śāpa and the origin of Śālagrāma