Shloka 28
एतस्मिन्नंतरे लोका देवैस्सार्द्धं समागताः । युद्धाय विविधैर्दुःखैः पीडिता राक्षसैः पुरा
etasminnaṃtare lokā devaissārddhaṃ samāgatāḥ | yuddhāya vividhairduḥkhaiḥ pīḍitā rākṣasaiḥ purā
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the worlds, together with the Devas, assembled. Long had they been tormented by the Rākṣasas with many kinds of sufferings, and they came intent upon battle.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Jyotirlinga: Nāgeśvara
Sthala Purana: In Dārukāvana, rākṣasas oppress the worlds; the devas and afflicted beings assemble seeking divine intervention, setting the stage for Śiva’s manifestation as Nāgeśvara to remove the bondage of fear and restore dharma.
Significance: Relief from fear, protection from hostile forces, and removal of pāśa (bondage) through Śiva’s grace as Lord of beings (Paśupati).
FAQs
The verse frames suffering as a cosmic imbalance where beings, afflicted by adharmic forces, unite with the Devas and turn toward decisive action—implying that protection and restoration ultimately depend on aligning with dharma and seeking the Lord’s grace (Pati) over the bonds (pāśa) that cause distress.
In the Kotirudra context, crises faced by gods and worlds commonly culminate in approaching Shiva’s tangible, grace-bearing presence (Saguna Shiva), often expressed through Linga worship and pilgrimage; collective turning toward battle mirrors the inner resolve that precedes surrender to Shiva as the remover of fear and bestower of victory over negative forces.
A practical takeaway is to combine resolve with Shiva-upāsanā: japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Tripuṇḍra/bhasma-dhāraṇa for protection and steadiness when facing persistent afflictions.