Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 3
देव्याः क्रोधः शक्तिनिर्माणं च
Devī’s Wrath and the Manifestation of the Śaktis
मृदंगान्पटहांश्चैव गणाश्चावादयंस्तथा । महोत्सवं तदा चक्रुर्हते तस्मिन्गणाधिपे
mṛdaṃgānpaṭahāṃścaiva gaṇāścāvādayaṃstathā | mahotsavaṃ tadā cakrurhate tasmingaṇādhipe
Alors les gaṇas firent retentir les mṛdaṅgas et les paṭahas (tambours), et ils célébrèrent une grande fête lorsque ce gaṇādhipa, le chef des gaṇas, eut été mis à mort.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra
FAQs
The verse highlights how Śiva’s gaṇas respond to a turning point in the divine narrative by proclaiming it through sound and utsava (festival). In a Shaiva Siddhānta lens, such celebration signifies the restoration of dharma under Pati (Śiva), where divine order prevails and the community of devotees/attendants rejoices in that alignment.
The gaṇas’ drums and festival mood reflect Saguna Śiva worship—devotion expressed through sacred sound, procession-like celebration, and communal praise. While Liṅga worship points to the transcendent Nirguṇa, the Purāṇic narrative uses Saguna forms and events to kindle bhakti that ultimately leads the devotee toward Śiva’s supreme reality.
The immediate takeaway is nāda-bhakti—devotional sound: kīrtana, vādyas (drums), and rhythmic recitation. Practically, one may pair such worship with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and offer vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) as a sign of Śiva-bhāva, transforming celebration into inward remembrance.