Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तावत्पारिषदाः प्राप्ताः किंकि णीजालमालिनः । दिव्यं विमानमादाय तं नेतुं शूलपाणयः

Transliteration

tāvatpāriṣadāḥ prāptāḥ kiṃki ṇījālamālinaḥ | divyaṃ vimānamādāya taṃ netuṃ śūlapāṇayaḥ

Translation

وفي تلك اللحظة قدم حاشيةُ شِيفا، متزيّنين بشِباكٍ من الأجراس الرنّانة. وأخذ أولئك الخَدَمَةُ حاملو الرُّمحِ الثلاثيّ (التريشولا) مركبةً سماويةً، وجاؤوا ليقتادوه بعيدًا.

Word by Word

• तावत्: meanwhile/then
• तावत्: कालाधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• पारिषदाः: attendants (of Śiva)
• पारिषदाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारिषद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्राप्ताः: arrived
• प्राप्ताः: क्रिया (Predicate action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्राप्त (कृदन्त) < प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्/वाक्यक्रिया (predicate: ‘arrived’)

• किंकिणी-जाल-मालिनः: wearing garlands of nets of tinkling bells
• किंकिणी-जाल-मालिनः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘pāriṣadāḥ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किंकिणी (प्रातिपदिक) + जाल (प्रातिपदिक) + मालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुषः (possessing a garland/net of tinkling bells)

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘vimānam’)

• विमानम्: a celestial chariot
• विमानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययप्रयोग (indeclinable)

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नेतुम्: to lead (him)
• नेतुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• शूल-पाणयः: trident-bearers
• शूल-पाणयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition to ‘pāriṣadāḥ’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); बहुव्रीहिः (those whose hands have tridents)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga; it illustrates Śiva’s protective sovereignty overriding punitive transit when devotion/dharma warrants grace.

Significance: Assurance (abhaya): Śiva’s gaṇas as agents of anugraha; inspires refuge in Śiva and confidence in his rakṣaṇa.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Intervention event: Śiva’s retinue arrives with a divine vimāna, signaling a shift from karmic compulsion to grace-led transit.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shiva's Ganas (Parishadas)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva’s gracious governance of the cosmos through His gaṇas: the Lord’s compassionate will operates via divine attendants who guide beings according to karma and grace, ultimately pointing toward protection and liberation under Pati (Śiva).

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

The imagery of Śiva’s parishadas and the divine vimāna reflects Saguna Śiva—His accessible, personal form—through which devotees relate to His power (śūla), protection, and guidance; such devotion culminates in steadiness in Linga-worship as the symbol of the Supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is remembrance of Śiva as the guiding Lord through japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while visualizing His protective gaṇas removing obstacles; this supports bhakti and inner surrender rather than a specific external rite in this verse.