Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40

शिवागमन-नाद-समागमः (Śiva’s Advent, the Drum-Sound, and the Cosmic Assembly)

Devanagari script

समानर्चुः क्रमात्सर्वे नानोपायनपाणयः । नीराजनं समाकार्षुर्महोत्सवपुरस्सरम्

Transliteration

samānarcuḥ kramātsarve nānopāyanapāṇayaḥ | nīrājanaṃ samākārṣurmahotsavapurassaram

Translation

Alors, tous, selon l’ordre prescrit et tenant en leurs mains diverses offrandes, rendirent un culte d’un même élan ; puis ils accomplirent l’ārati (nīrājana) de bon augure, précédé d’une grande fête solennelle.

Word by Word

• सम्: together/fully (prefix)
• सम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग (preverb)

• आनर्चुः: they worshipped
• आनर्चुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन (plural)

• क्रमात्: in due order/gradually
• क्रमात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/रीति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; अर्थे ‘क्रमेण’ (adverbial instrumental: ‘in order/gradually’)

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• नाना-उपायन-पाणयः: having various gifts in (their) hands
• नाना-उपायन-पाणयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + उपायन (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे न स्यात्; ‘उपायनैः पाणयः’ = ‘hands with gifts’); पुल्लिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• नीराजनम्: ārati/ceremonial waving of lights
• नीराजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीराजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative)

• सम्: together/fully (prefix)
• सम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग (preverb)

• आकार्षुः: they performed/drew forth (did)
• आकार्षुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन (plural)

• महा-उत्सव-पुरःसरम्: preceded by a great festival
• महा-उत्सव-पुरःसरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरःसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (महोत्सवः पुरःसरः यस्य तत्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) — नीराजनम् इति कर्मविशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a specific Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse depicts a paradigmatic deva-samāja worship scene (collective upacāra and nīrājana) around Śiva’s manifest presence.

Significance: Models proper communal worship (kramāt—ordered upacāra), emphasizing that bhakti expressed through ritual propriety becomes a vehicle for Śiva’s anugraha.

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights bhakti expressed through ordered, communal worship—offering gifts and performing nīrājana—showing that devotion to Shiva becomes complete when reverence, right procedure, and joyful celebration are united.

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

Nīrājana and offerings are hallmark acts of saguna-upāsanā: approaching Shiva in a worshippable form (often the Liṅga) with tangible offerings, thereby purifying the devotee’s mind and directing it toward Shiva as Pati, the gracious Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform a sequential Shiva-pūjā with offerings followed by nīrājana (ārati); inwardly, maintain steady remembrance of Shiva (japa of the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while the outer rite is conducted.