Shloka 16

Adhyaya 72 — Puradāha: Rudra’s Cosmic Chariot, Pāśupata-Vrata, and Brahmā’s Shiva-Stuti

Devanagari script

दिशः पादा रथस्यास्य तथा चोपदिशश् च ह पुष्कराद्याः पताकाश् च सौवर्णा रत्नभूषिताः

Transliteration

diśaḥ pādā rathasyāsya tathā copadiśaś ca ha puṣkarādyāḥ patākāś ca sauvarṇā ratnabhūṣitāḥ

Translation

صارتِ الجهاتُ أقدامَ هذه العربة، وكذلك الجهاتُ الوسيطة. وكانت راياتُها—ابتداءً برايةِ پُشْكَرَة (Puṣkara)—من ذهبٍ ومُحَلّاةً بالجواهر.

Word by Word

• दिशः (diśaḥ): the directions

• पादाḥ (pādāḥ): feet/supports

• रथस्य (rathasya): of the chariot

• अस्य (asya): of this

• तथा (tathā): likewise

• च (ca): and

• उपदिशः (upadiśaḥ): intermediate directions (sub-directions)

• च (ca): and

• ह (ha): indeed/also

• पुष्कराद्याः (puṣkarādyāḥ): beginning with Puṣkara (as the first standard/banner-name)

• पताकाः (patākāḥ): banners/standards

• च (ca): and

• सौवर्णाः (sauvarṇāḥ): golden

• रत्नभूषिताः (ratnabhūṣitāḥ): ornamented with gems

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It presents a mandalic, cosmic visualization: the directions themselves become the supports of the sacred vehicle, implying that Shiva’s presence (Pati) pervades and stabilizes all space—an inner rationale for dik-bandhana and directional sanctification in Linga-puja.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By making the directions and sub-directions the ‘feet’ of the chariot, the verse implies Shiva-tattva as all-pervasive and sovereign over spatial order—transcending yet supporting the cosmos, while remaining the ground of orientation for the bound soul (pashu).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative mapping of space (dik-nyasa/dik-smarana) is suggested: the practitioner visualizes the directions as sanctified supports, aiding Pashupata-style interiorization where the world-space is seen as upheld by Pati rather than binding the pashu through pasha.