Shloka 64

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

Devanagari script

षण्मुखो ऽपि सह सिद्धचारणैः सेनया च गिरिराजसंनिभः देवनाथगणवृन्दसंवृतो वारणेन च तथाग्निसंभवः

Transliteration

ṣaṇmukho 'pi saha siddhacāraṇaiḥ senayā ca girirājasaṃnibhaḥ devanāthagaṇavṛndasaṃvṛto vāraṇena ca tathāgnisaṃbhavaḥ

Translation

Six‑faced Skanda too—Agni‑born—advanced with the Siddhas and Cāraṇas, and with an army vast as the king of mountains; surrounded by hosts of Deva‑lords and Gaṇas, and attended by his mighty elephant‑mount.

Word by Word

• ṣaṇmukhaḥ: the Six-faced one (Skanda/Kārttikeya)

• api: also/indeed

• saha: together with

• siddha-cāraṇaiḥ: with Siddhas and Cāraṇas (celestial perfected beings and bards)

• senayā: with the army

• ca: and

• girirāja-saṃnibhaḥ: resembling the king of mountains (Himālaya-like, immense)

• devanātha-gaṇa-vṛnda-saṃvṛtaḥ: surrounded by groups/hosts of the lords of the Devas and their retinues

• vāraṇena: with an elephant (elephant-mount/attendant)

• ca: and

• tathā: likewise/also

• agni-saṃbhavaḥ: born from Agni (fire-origin).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Skanda (Kartikeya)
• Agni
• Siddhas
• Charanas
• Devas
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It situates Skanda as Shiva’s empowered commander within the Shaiva cosmic order—showing how the Pati (Shiva) protects devotees and Dharma through his divine agencies, a key devotional context for Linga worship.

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

Shiva-tattva is implied as sovereign Pati: even when not named directly, his Śakti and authority manifest through Skanda, the Gaṇas, and the Deva-hosts—revealing Shiva as the inner ruler who mobilizes cosmic forces for liberation and order.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse primarily highlights devotional alignment with Shiva’s gaṇa-order (śiva-bhakti and śiva-sevā); as a yogic takeaway, it supports Pāśupata discipline—standing with Pati against pāśa (bondage) through steadfast devotion and dharmic action.