Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

गणेश-वाक्यं तथा गणानां समर-सन्नाहः | Gaṇeśa’s Challenge and the Mustering of the Gaṇas

Devanagari script

केषांचिजानुनी तत्र केषांचित्स्कंधकास्तथा । सम्मुखे चागता ये वै ते सर्वे हृदये हताः

Transliteration

keṣāṃcijānunī tatra keṣāṃcitskaṃdhakāstathā | sammukhe cāgatā ye vai te sarve hṛdaye hatāḥ

Translation

Là, pour certains, les genoux furent frappés, et pour d'autres les épaules de même. Et ceux qui s'avancèrent pour faire face à l'assaut — tous furent frappés dans la région du cœur.

Word by Word

• केषाम्: of some
• केषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; अनिर्दिष्ट-सम्बन्ध (of some)

• चित्: some/any
• चित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अनिश्चितार्थक-अव्यय (indefinite particle)

• जानुनी: (their) two knees
• जानुनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; (जानुनी = two knees)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• केषाम्: of some
• केषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• चित्: some/any
• चित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अनिश्चितार्थक-अव्यय

• स्कन्धकाः: shoulders/shoulder-bones
• स्कन्धकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (स्कन्धक = shoulder/upper-arm region; here plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ-अव्यय (likewise/also)

• सम्मुखे: in front
• सम्मुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तम्यर्थे अव्ययीभूतम् (adverbial locative: in front)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• आगताः: having come / arrived
• आगताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकालिक कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/उपपादक-अव्यय (indeed/emphatic particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तद्-प्रत्यय (demonstrative)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ते इति विशेषणम्

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the heart)

• हताः: were struck down / killed
• हताः: Kriya (क्रिया/फल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

It portrays the inevitability of karmic consequence when beings oppose the divine order upheld by Shiva’s power; in Shaiva Siddhanta terms, the Lord’s śakti removes obstruction (pāśa) and restores dharma, reminding devotees that true refuge is in Pati (Shiva) rather than in bodily strength.

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

The battle imagery is a Saguna expression of Shiva’s governance through his śaktis—protecting devotees and subduing adharma. Linga worship trains the mind to surrender to that same supreme authority beyond fear, seeing all events as under Shiva’s ordinance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is fearlessness through japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of impermanence and surrender to Shiva’s protecting grace.