Shloka 27

वीरभद्रस्य गमनप्रस्थानम् — Vīrabhadra’s Departure for Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

काष्ठागूढश्चतुःषष्ट्या सुकेशी वृषभस्तथा । सुमन्त्रको गणाधीशस्तथा तात सुनिर्ययौ

Transliteration

kāṣṭhāgūḍhaścatuḥṣaṣṭyā sukeśī vṛṣabhastathā | sumantrako gaṇādhīśastathā tāta suniryayau

Translation

Then Kāṣṭhāgūḍha set out with the sixty-four attendants, and Sukeśī and Vṛṣabha as well. Likewise Sumantraka, leader of the gaṇas—O dear one—departed, and all went forth together.

Word by Word

• काष्ठ-आगूढः: Kāṣṭhāgūḍha (name)
• काष्ठ-आगूढः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + आगूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (proper name); तत्पुरुष: काष्ठे आगूढः/काष्ठेन आगूढः (one hidden/covered with wood)

• चतुः-षष्ट्या: with sixty-four (units)
• चतुः-षष्ट्या: Sahakāraka/Hetu (सहकारक/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुःषष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक: 'with sixty-four (crores/troops)' (context-supplied)

• सुकेशी: Sukeśī (name)
• सुकेशी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (as proper name; though form can be f.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• वृषभः: Vṛṣabha (name)
• वृषभः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/conjunction), अर्थे: 'also/likewise'

• सुमन्त्रकः: Sumantraka (name)
• सुमन्त्रकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमन्त्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• गण-अधीशः: lord of the gaṇas
• गण-अधीशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + अधीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'गणानाम् अधीशः'

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/conjunction)

• तात: O dear (one)
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; संबोधन (address: 'O dear/son')

• सु-निर्ययौ: the two went forth completely
• सु-निर्ययौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन (dual); उपसर्ग: सु- (intensifier) + निर्-; धातु: या (to go) → निर्ययौ (they two went out)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse continues the martial/ceremonial mobilization of Śiva’s gaṇas in the Satī-khaṇḍa narrative.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shiva Ganas
• Kāṣṭhāgūḍha
• Sukeśī
• Vṛṣabha
• Sumantraka

FAQs

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

The verse highlights gaṇa-sevā—devoted service to Lord Śiva—showing that Śiva’s divine work is upheld by disciplined attendants who move in harmony with His will, reflecting the Shaiva Siddhanta ideal of the soul (paśu) aligning its action with the Lord (Pati).

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

By naming Śiva’s attendants and their orderly departure, the text emphasizes Saguna Śiva’s living presence—His sacred community and divine governance—supporting the devotee’s approach to Linga worship as reverence to Śiva along with His śakti and gaṇas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests disciplined bhakti expressed as service and readiness: chant the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a vow of conduct, and perform simple Śiva-upacāras (water, bilva leaves, bhasma/Tripuṇḍra) as an attitude of ‘following’ Śiva’s command like the gaṇas.