Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 69

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

Devanagari script

त्वया कृत्वा महालीलां गणगर्वोऽपहारितः । अस्मै दत्त्वा बलं भूरि देवगर्वश्च शंकर

Transliteration

tvayā kṛtvā mahālīlāṃ gaṇagarvo'pahāritaḥ | asmai dattvā balaṃ bhūri devagarvaśca śaṃkara

Translation

হে শংকৰ! তুমি মহালীলা কৰি গণসকলৰ গৰ্ব অপহাৰ কৰিলা; আৰু তাক প্ৰচুৰ বল দি দেৱসকলৰ অহংকাৰো দমন কৰিলা।

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (करण/Instrument; agentive instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having done’

• महा-लीलाम्: a great divine play
• महा-लीलाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of कृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (great play), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• गण-गर्वः: the pride of the gaṇas
• गण-गर्वः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + गर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (pride of the gaṇas), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• अपहारितः: was taken away/removed
• अपहारितः: Kriya (क्रिया; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थ (passive sense)

• अस्मै: to him
• अस्मै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having given’

• बलम्: strength/power
• बलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of दत्त्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• भूरि: abundantly/much
• भूरि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूरि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (quantifier/adverb: ‘much, abundant’)

• देव-गर्वः: the pride of the gods
• देव-गर्वः: Karta (कर्ता; coordinated subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + गर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (pride of the gods), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शंकर: O Shankara
• शंकर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages, describing Śiva’s līlā and its purpose)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganas
• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that Śiva’s līlā is corrective and compassionate: He removes garva (ego) even from His own gaṇas, and He also restrains the pride of the devas—showing that spiritual authority belongs to Pati (Śiva) alone, and that humility is essential for grace.

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

It highlights Saguna Śiva as the active Lord who governs the cosmos through līlā—granting power where needed and curbing arrogance. In Liṅga-worship, the devotee approaches Śiva as the supreme regulator of all beings, seeking purification of ego and alignment with dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a humility-vow (garva-tyāga), optionally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders that strength should serve devotion, not ego.