Shloka 19

Devanagari script

पुष्कराद्याः पताकाश्च सौवर्णा रत्नभूषिताः । समुद्रास्तस्य चत्वारो रथकंबलिनस्स्मृताः

Transliteration

puṣkarādyāḥ patākāśca sauvarṇā ratnabhūṣitāḥ | samudrāstasya catvāro rathakaṃbalinassmṛtāḥ

Translation

His banners—beginning with those named Puṣkara and others—were made of gold and adorned with jewels. And the four “oceans” associated with him were said to be the coverings (kambalas) of his chariot.

Word by Word

• पुष्कर-आद्याः: beginning with Puṣkara
• पुष्कर-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पुष्करः आदिः येषाम्)

• पताकाः: banners/flags
• पताकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पताका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सौवर्णाः: golden
• सौवर्णाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (golden)

• रत्न-भूषिताः: adorned with jewels
• रत्न-भूषिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषित (कृदन्त; √भूष् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुषसमासः (रत्नैः भूषिताः)

• समुद्राः: oceans
• समुद्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of it/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• रथ-कम्बलिनः: chariot-coverings (blankets)
• रथ-कम्बलिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + कम्बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (रथस्य कम्बलिनः = chariot-blankets/coverings)

• स्मृताः: are said/are remembered (as)
• स्मृताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (passive past participle)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

FAQs

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

The verse uses royal and cosmic imagery—golden, jewel-adorned banners and even “four oceans” as chariot coverings—to portray the vast, worldly splendor that appears in divine narratives, reminding the devotee that all grandeur ultimately rests within the higher sovereignty of Pati (Śiva) and is secondary to liberation-oriented devotion.

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

This is a Saguna (manifest) descriptive passage: it depicts divine majesty through visible symbols (flags, ornaments, chariot). In Shiva worship, such imagery supports bhakti by giving form to reverence, while the Linga remains the central icon that points beyond all ornamentation to Śiva as the supreme reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

No specific ritual item is commanded here, but the takeaway is contemplative: during japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), one may visualize Śiva’s lordship eclipsing all worldly splendor, cultivating vairāgya (detachment) and steady bhakti rather than fascination with external grandeur.