गणसमागमः (Śiva Summons the Gaṇas for the Great Festival)
कोटिकोटिसहस्राणां शतैर्विंशतिभिर्वृताः । तत्र जग्मुश्च नन्द्याद्या गणपाश्शंकरोत्सवे
koṭikoṭisahasrāṇāṃ śatairviṃśatibhirvṛtāḥ | tatra jagmuśca nandyādyā gaṇapāśśaṃkarotsave
Entourées de centaines et de vingtaines de crores sur crores de milliers, les troupes des Gaṇas de Śiva—conduites par Nandin—se rendirent elles aussi là-bas, à la grande fête du Seigneur Śaṅkara.
Sūta Gosvāmī
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
It highlights Śiva’s cosmic sovereignty: innumerable gaṇa-hosts gather effortlessly for Śaṅkara’s festival, showing that all powers and beings revolve around Pati (Śiva) when devotion (bhakti) and auspiciousness (maṅgala) are present.
A Śaṅkarotsava is a Saguna-centered celebration—devotees approach Śiva through worshipful forms, processions, and praise; the gaṇas led by Nandi represent the divine retinue that protects and magnifies such public worship of Śiva, often centered on the Liṅga.
Participating in Śiva-utsava with disciplined devotion—chanting the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offering bilva leaves, and maintaining purity with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) remembrance—aligns the mind with Śiva’s auspicious presence.