Shloka 48

गणसमागमः (Śiva Summons the Gaṇas for the Great Festival)

Devanagari script

स्वसैन्यमध्यगश्शक्र ऐरावतगज स्थितः । नामाविभूषितोऽत्यन्तं व्रजन् रेजे सुरेश्वरः

Transliteration

svasainyamadhyagaśśakra airāvatagaja sthitaḥ | nāmāvibhūṣito'tyantaṃ vrajan reje sureśvaraḥ

Translation

Indra, lord of the gods, seated upon the elephant Airāvata and moving amid his own army, shone brilliantly as he advanced—fully adorned with his insignia and renowned titles.

Word by Word

• स्व: his/own
• स्व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (genitive qualifier)

• सैन्य: army
• सैन्य: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘स्व’ इत्यस्य विशेष्यः

• मध्य: in the midst
• मध्य: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• गः: having gone/entered
• गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gam (धातु) + ta/kvip? (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त-प्रायः ‘ग’ (gone/entered); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘शक्र’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शक्रः: Indra
• शक्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• ऐरावत: Airāvata (Indra’s elephant)
• ऐरावत: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: airāvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘गज’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (proper name as qualifier)

• गज: elephant
• गज: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणम् (on/at the elephant)

• स्थितः: standing/seated
• स्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘शक्र’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• नाम: with names
• नाम: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (instrumental plural); साधन/हेतु-भावः

• अविभूषितः: adorned/ornamented
• अविभूषितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-bhūṣ (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त) with negation a-
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘सुरेश्वर’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; नञ्-पूर्वकः (a-)

• अत्यन्तम्: exceedingly
• अत्यन्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atyanta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• व्रजन्: going
• व्रजन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vraj (धातु) + śatṛ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सहक्रिया (concomitant action)

• रेजे: shone
• रेजे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rāj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सुरेश्वरः: lord of the gods (Indra)
• सुरेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सुराणाम् ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Shakra)
• Airavata

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the peak of worldly and heavenly majesty—Indra’s splendor—yet, within Shaiva Siddhanta, such sovereignty remains finite and ultimately dependent on Pati (Lord Shiva), reminding devotees that true refuge is Shiva, not status or power.

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

By portraying the greatest of the devas in full magnificence, the text implicitly contrasts created glory with the supreme Saguna form of Shiva worshiped as the Linga—where devotion is directed to the Lord who grants and withdraws all offices, honors, and celestial dominions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is humility in worship: perform Shiva-puja with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), contemplating that all external ornaments and titles are transient compared to Shiva-bhakti.