Śatarudrīya-prabhāva and Rudra’s Supremacy (शतरुद्रीयप्रभावः)
मृगयूथैद्रतैर्भीतैर्हरपार्श्वमुपागतै: । शरणं चाप्यविन्दद्धिस्तत् सद: संकुलं बभौ
mṛgayūthair drutair bhītair hara-pārśvam upāgataiḥ | śaraṇaṃ cāpy avindad dhi tat sadaḥ saṃkulaṃ babhau ||
Nārada sprach: Verängstigte Hirschherden, hastig auf der Flucht, kamen nahe zu Hara (Śiva). Da sie anderswo keinen Zufluchtsort fanden, sammelten sie sich dort, und die ganze Versammlungshalle wurde dicht gedrängt—und gewann eine ungewöhnliche Schönheit durch die Gegenwart jener erschrockenen Geschöpfe, die Schutz suchten.
नारद उवाच
When beings are overwhelmed by fear and find no safety elsewhere, the righteous and compassionate—here symbolized by Hara (Śiva)—become a natural refuge. The verse highlights the ethical ideal of offering protection to the vulnerable and the spiritual intuition that true shelter is found near the divine.
Frightened herds of deer, fleeing from danger, arrive at Śiva’s side because they cannot find shelter anywhere else. Their sudden gathering fills the assembly hall, and the scene is described as taking on a distinctive beauty despite (and because of) their fearful state.