Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 12

गणेश-वाक्यं तथा गणानां समर-सन्नाहः | Gaṇeśa’s Challenge and the Mustering of the Gaṇas

Devanagari script

नंदी प्रथममागत्य धृत्वा पादं व्यकर्षयत् । धावन्भृंगी द्वितीयं च पादं धृत्वा गणस्य च

Transliteration

naṃdī prathamamāgatya dhṛtvā pādaṃ vyakarṣayat | dhāvanbhṛṃgī dvitīyaṃ ca pādaṃ dhṛtvā gaṇasya ca

Translation

أتى نَنْدي أولًا؛ فأمسك بالقدم وجذبها إلى الوراء. ثم أسرع بْهْرِنْغي راكضًا فأمسك بالقدم الثانية لذلك الخادم أيضًا.

Word by Word

• नन्दी: Nandin
• नन्दी: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially)

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्यय; उपसर्ग: आ-; ‘having come’

• धृत्वा: having held
• धृत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्यय; ‘having held’

• पादम्: foot
• पादम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• व्यकर्षयत्: pulled away / dragged
• व्यकर्षयत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√कृष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: वि-

• धावन्: running
• धावन्: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धाव् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘running’

• भृङ्गी: Bhṛṅgī
• भृङ्गी: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• द्वितीयम्: second
• द्वितीयम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially)

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

• पादम्: foot
• पादम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धृत्वा: having held
• धृत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्यय

• गणस्य: of the gaṇa (attendant)
• गणस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Nandi
• Bhringi
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It highlights the vigilant, selfless seva of Shiva’s gaṇas: devotion expresses itself as swift, disciplined action to protect dharma and the Lord’s order, a Shaiva Siddhanta ideal of serving Pati (Shiva) with loyalty.

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

Nandī and Bhṛṅgī represent the living culture around Saguna Shiva worship—attendants who safeguard the sanctity of Shiva’s presence; similarly, in linga-worship the devotee maintains purity, order, and reverence around the shrine as an act of bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is disciplined Shiva-seva: keep a clean worship space, apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) with remembrance of Shiva, and repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with attentive, prompt devotion.