Shloka 36
शिवस्य सैन्यप्रयाणम् तथा गणपतिनामावलिः (Śiva’s Mobilization for War and the Catalogue of Gaṇa Commanders)
उग्रदंष्ट्रश्चोग्रदण्डः कोरटः कोटभस्तथा । स्वयं शतभुजा देवी भद्रकाली महेश्वरी
ugradaṃṣṭraścogradaṇḍaḥ koraṭaḥ koṭabhastathā | svayaṃ śatabhujā devī bhadrakālī maheśvarī
She is called Ugradaṃṣṭrā, bearing the fierce staff Ugradaṇḍa; she is Koraṭā and Koṭabhā as well. Indeed, the Goddess herself—hundred-armed—Bhadrakālī, Maheśvarī, Śiva’s supreme Power, stood forth in manifestation.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Kali
Role: destructive
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
The verse proclaims the Devī as Maheśvarī—Śiva’s own supreme Śakti—manifesting in many fierce yet protective forms. In Shaiva understanding, such epithets show that divine power appears as needed to remove adharmic obstacles and uphold the path toward liberation.
By naming Bhadrakālī as Maheśvarī, the text points to Saguna worship where Śiva is adored together with His Śakti. Linga worship is fulfilled by recognizing that the Linga is not merely a symbol but the living presence of Śiva, whose power (Śakti) operates as the Devī in protection, grace, and transformation.
A practical takeaway is to worship Śiva with the awareness of Śakti—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while offering bilva leaves and applying tripuṇḍra bhasma, praying for inner fearlessness and removal of impediments, as embodied by Bhadrakālī’s protective fierceness.