Shloka 6

Devanagari script

वीराणां वीरभद्रं च पिशाचानां भयंकरम् मातॄणां चैव चामुण्डां सर्वदेवनमस्कृताम्

Transliteration

vīrāṇāṃ vīrabhadraṃ ca piśācānāṃ bhayaṃkaram mātṝṇāṃ caiva cāmuṇḍāṃ sarvadevanamaskṛtām

Translation

Unter den heldenhaften Scharen (rufe ich) Vīrabhadra an; für die piśācas den Schrecklichen, der Furcht erweckt; und unter den Müttern (rufe ich) Cāmuṇḍā an — die von allen Göttern verehrt wird.

Word by Word

• vīrāṇām: of the heroes (Vīras/heroic attendants)

• vīrabhadram: Vīrabhadra

• ca: and

• piśācānām: of the piśācas (ghoulish spirits)

• bhayaṅkaram: fearsome/terrifying

• mātṝṇām: of the Mothers (Mātṛkās)

• ca eva: and indeed/also

• cāmuṇḍām: Cāmuṇḍā

• sarva-deva-namaskṛtām: worshipped/saluted by all the gods

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Virabhadra
• Chamunda
• Matrs (Matrikas)
• Pishachas
• Devas (all gods)

FAQs

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

It functions as a protective invocation: by remembering Shiva’s fierce gaṇas (Vīrabhadra) and Shakti-forms (Cāmuṇḍā, the Mātṛs), the worshipper safeguards the liṅga-pūjā space from obstructive forces and aligns it with Pati (Shiva) and His śakti.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as sovereign over all classes of beings—heroic attendants, spirits, and divine Mothers—revealing Pati as the supreme Lord whose power (Śakti) is honored even by the devas.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A nyāsa-like remembrance and protective japa/invocation of Shiva’s attendants and fierce Shakti aspects—used as a preliminary rite (āvaraṇa-smarana) before liṅga-pūjā or Pāśupata-oriented discipline.