Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7

वीरभद्रस्य गमनप्रस्थानम् — Vīrabhadra’s Departure for Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

नल्वानं च सहस्रे द्वे प्रमाणं स्यंदनस्य हि । अयुतेनैव सिंहानां वाहनानां प्रयत्नतः

Transliteration

nalvānaṃ ca sahasre dve pramāṇaṃ syaṃdanasya hi | ayutenaiva siṃhānāṃ vāhanānāṃ prayatnataḥ

Translation

Wahrlich, das Maß des Wagens betrug zweitausend Nalvas; und mit gebührender Mühe gab es zudem zehntausend Löwen, die in jenem Gefolge als Reittiere dienten.

Word by Word

• नल्वानम्: (as) length/measure ‘nalvāna’ (a unit)
• नल्वानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नल्वान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (पाठानुसार), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक (measure/extent)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• सहस्रे: in a thousand (as a count)
• सहस्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-नाम

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; संख्यावाचक

• प्रमाणम्: measure
• प्रमाणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘measure/extent’

• स्यन्दनस्य: of the chariot
• स्यन्दनस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ निपात (indeed/for)

• अयुतेन: by ten thousand
• अयुतेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (ten-thousand)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• सिंहानाम्: of lions
• सिंहानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• वाहनानाम्: of vehicles/mounts
• वाहनानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort
• प्रयत्नतः: Hetu/Prakara (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्नतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण (from/with effort; ‘carefully’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse magnifies the scale of Vīrabhadra’s martial apparatus (chariot-measure; lion-mounts), emphasizing the inevitability of the yajña’s collapse; not a Jyotirliṅga-specific sthala account.

Significance: Didactic warning: mere ritual grandeur (pramāṇa, vibhava) cannot protect adharmic sacrifice from Śiva’s ordinance.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

By detailing vast measures and innumerable mounts, the Purana evokes awe (vismaya) toward Shiva’s manifest majesty, turning the mind from limited worldly scale to devotion for the Lord as Pati, whose powers are beyond ordinary measure.

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

Such descriptions support Saguna-upāsanā—meditating on Shiva’s tangible glory and attendants—yet they ultimately point the devotee to the Linga as the limitless reality that no physical measurement can contain.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is bhāvanā (contemplative visualization) of Shiva’s divine presence while chanting the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” offering water/bilva to the Linga, and mentally surrendering pride in one’s own ‘measure’ to the immeasurable Lord.