Shloka 20

महाबलमाहात्म्यवर्णनम् (Mahābala Māhātmya-varṇanam) — “Account of the Greatness of Mahābala (and Western Sacred Liṅgas)”

Devanagari script

सर्वे देवास्सगन्धर्वाः पितरः सिद्धचारणाः । विद्याधराः किंपुरुषाः किन्नरा गुह्यकाः खगाः

Transliteration

sarve devāssagandharvāḥ pitaraḥ siddhacāraṇāḥ | vidyādharāḥ kiṃpuruṣāḥ kinnarā guhyakāḥ khagāḥ

Translation

All the gods—together with the Gandharvas—along with the Pitṛs, the Siddhas and Cāraṇas, the Vidyādharas, Kiṃpuruṣas, Kinnaras, the Guhyakas, and the winged beings (birds) assembled there.

Word by Word

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सगन्धर्वाः: together with Gandharvas
• सगन्धर्वाः: Sahakari (सहकारी/accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + gandharva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव: स-गन्धर्वाः = गन्धर्वैः सह (together with Gandharvas)

• पितरः: the Pitṛs (manes)
• पितरः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सिद्धचारणाः: Siddhas and Cāraṇas
• सिद्धचारणाः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddha + cāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: सिद्धाः च चारणाः च (Siddhas and Cāraṇas)

• विद्याधराः: Vidyādharas
• विद्याधराः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: विद्यां धरन्ति (bearers of knowledge)

• किंपुरुषाः: Kiṃpuruṣas
• किंपुरुषाः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṃ + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (नामधातु/प्रचलित-समास): किंपुरुष (a class of beings)

• किन्नराः: Kinnaras
• किन्नराः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kinnara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• गुह्यकाः: Guhyakas
• गुह्यकाः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guhyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• खगाः: birds
• खगाः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Gandharvas
• Pitrs
• Siddhas
• Caranas
• Vidyadharas
• Kimpurushas
• Kinnaras
• Guhyakas

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes Shiva’s universal sovereignty: beings from all planes—devas, ancestors, perfected sages, and celestial attendants—converge, indicating that the Lord’s sacred manifestation draws every order of existence toward reverence and grace.

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

Such a cosmic gathering typically frames a theophany or sacred event connected with Shiva’s manifest (saguṇa) presence—like a Jyotirlinga—showing that Linga-darśana and Shiva-bhakti are honored not only by humans but by celestial and ancestral realms as well.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is collective worship and remembrance: approach Shiva through Linga-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a devotional attitude, as even higher beings are portrayed as gathering in reverence.