Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 35

रुद्रस्य रणप्रवेशः तथा दैत्यगणानां बाणवृष्टिः

Rudra Enters the Battlefield; the Daityas’ Arrow-Storm

Devanagari script

ततो जगुश्च ननृतुर्गंधर्वाप्सरसां गणाः । तालवेणुमृदंगांश्च वादयन्तिस्म चापरे

Transliteration

tato jaguśca nanṛturgaṃdharvāpsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ | tālaveṇumṛdaṃgāṃśca vādayantisma cāpare

Translation

Then the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsarases began to sing and dance, while others played cymbals, flutes, and mṛdaṅga drums—offering celestial music in celebration of Rudra’s victorious, auspicious presence.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: अधिकरण (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), काल/अनन्तर (then/thereafter)

• जगुः: sang
• जगुः: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ननृतुः: danced
• ननृतुः: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• गन्धर्व-अप्सरसाम्: of the Gandharvas and Apsarases
• गन्धर्व-अप्सरसाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (गन्धर्वाश्च अप्सरसश्च)

• गणाः: groups
• गणाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग

• ताल-वेणु-मृदङ्गान्: cymbals, flutes, and drums
• ताल-वेणु-मृदङ्गान्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताल (प्रातिपदिक) + वेणु (प्रातिपदिक) + मृदङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वन्द्व-समास (तालांश्च वेणूंश्च मृदङ्गांश्च)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वादयन्ति: played (made sound)
• वादयन्ति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु) + णिच् → वादय (causative stem)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• स्म: indeed/used to (past marker)
• स्म: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-निपात (particle indicating past/habitual with present form)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग; विशेष्य-लोपे विशेषणवत् (used substantively: ‘others’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Naṭarāja

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvas
• Apsarases
• Rudra (Shiva)

FAQs

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

It shows that when Shiva’s auspicious will prevails, even celestial beings respond with stuti—music and dance become acts of bhakti, aligning the mind and senses toward the Lord (Pati) rather than toward bondage (pāśa).

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

The verse reflects Saguna-upāsanā—devotion to Shiva’s manifest, gracious presence. In Linga worship too, singing (kīrtana) and instrumental offerings are traditional ways to honor Shiva as the accessible, compassionate form of the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Kīrtana and nāma-japa are implied: chant “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with steady rhythm (tāla), keeping awareness on Shiva; this can be paired with simple Shiva-pūjā using bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and a calm, devotional mind.