Shloka 100

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

Devanagari script

जगत्त्रयं सर्वमिवापरं तत् पुरत्रयं तत्र विभाति सम्यक् नरेश्वरैश्चैव गणैश् च देवैः सुरेतरैश् च त्रिविधैर्मुनीन्द्राः

Transliteration

jagattrayaṃ sarvamivāparaṃ tat puratrayaṃ tatra vibhāti samyak nareśvaraiścaiva gaṇaiś ca devaiḥ suretaraiś ca trividhairmunīndrāḥ

Translation

In jenem Bereich erschien die ganze Dreiheit der Welten gleichsam zweitrangig; dort erstrahlte die dreifache Stadt (Puratraya) in vollkommener Ordnung—erfüllt von Königen unter den Menschen, von Śivas Gaṇas, von Devas und auch von Nicht-Devas—o Erster der Weisen.

Word by Word

• जगत्त्रयम्: the three worlds (trailokya)

• सर्वम्: all, the whole

• इव: as though

• अपरम्: secondary, subordinate

• तत्: that (there/that state)

• पुरत्रयम्: the three cities/threefold city (Puratraya)

• तत्र: there

• विभाति: shines, appears

• सम्यक्: rightly, in perfect order

• नर-ईश्वरैः: by kings/lords among men

• च एव: and indeed

• गणैः: by the gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants)

• च: and

• देवैः: by the gods (devas)

• सुरेतरैः: by non-devas (asuras/other-than-devas)

• च: and

• त्रिविधैः: of three kinds/threefold

• मुनीन्द्राः: O best of sages (vocative sense)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganas
• Devas
• Asuras

FAQs

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

It presents the cosmos as ordered under Śiva’s sovereignty—devas, asuras, kings, and gaṇas—supporting the Shaiva view that Linga-pūjā aligns the pashu (soul) with Pati (Śiva), transcending worldly hierarchy.

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

By implying that even the three worlds are “secondary” where Puratraya shines, it points to Śiva-tattva as the higher, regulating reality in which all classes of beings appear and find their place—Pati as the ground of manifestation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No single rite is named, but the verse supports the Pāśupata orientation: seeing all beings and realms as subordinate to Śiva encourages inward detachment (vairāgya) and one-pointed devotion (ekāgratā) central to Linga-upāsanā.