Shloka 21

स्वेच्छाविग्रहसंभव-प्रतिष्ठाफलवर्णनम् (विविधशिवमूर्तिप्रतिष्ठा, लोक-फल, शिवसायुज्य)

Devanagari script

नृत्यद्भिर् अप्सरःसंघैः सर्वतः सर्वशोभितैः गत्वा शिवपुरं दिव्यं गाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

nṛtyadbhir apsaraḥsaṃghaiḥ sarvataḥ sarvaśobhitaiḥ gatvā śivapuraṃ divyaṃ gāṇapatyamavāpnuyāt

Translation

Adorned on every side by hosts of dancing apsarās in all splendor, one goes to the divine city of Śiva and attains the status of a Gaṇa—belonging to Śiva’s retinue.

Word by Word

• नृत्यद्भिः: by dancing

• अप्सरः-संघैः: by groups/hosts of Apsarās

• सर्वतः: on all sides

• सर्व-शोभितैः: with every kind of beauty/adornment

• गत्वा: having gone

• शिवपुरम्: to Śiva’s city (Śivapura)

• दिव्यम्: divine, celestial

• गाणपत्यम्: the state/office of being a Gaṇa (membership in Śiva’s attendants)

• अवाप्नुयात्: would attain, obtains.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the phala-śruti to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Apsaras
• Shiva’s Ganas

FAQs

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

It functions as a phala-śruti: the verse states that the fruit of Śiva-oriented worship culminates in reaching Śivapura and gaining gāṇapatya—intimate proximity to Pati (Śiva), beyond ordinary heavenly enjoyments.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati, the supreme Lord whose abode (Śivapura) is the final refuge for the bound pashu; attaining His gaṇa-status signifies nearness to Śiva-tattva through His grace rather than mere karma-born svarga.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse itself highlights the promised result (Śiva-loka and gāṇapatya); in the Adhyāya’s phala-śruti context, it points to steadfast Śiva-bhakti expressed through Liṅga-pūjā and allied Pāśupata-aligned observances that loosen pāśa (bondage).