Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 37

कार्त्तिकेयान्वेषण-नन्दिसंवाद-वर्णनम्

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Devanagari script

वीरभद्रं विशालाक्षं शंकुकर्णं कराक्रमम् । नन्दीश्वरं महाकालं वज्रदंष्ट्रं महोन्मदम्

Transliteration

vīrabhadraṃ viśālākṣaṃ śaṃkukarṇaṃ karākramam | nandīśvaraṃ mahākālaṃ vajradaṃṣṭraṃ mahonmadam

Translation

Ia menyaksikan Vīrabhadra, Viśālākṣa, Śaṅkukarṇa, Karākrama, Nandīśvara, Mahākāla, Vajradaṃṣṭra, dan Mahonmada—para gaṇa Rudra yang dahsyat.

Word by Word

• वीरभद्रम्: Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर + भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘वीरः भद्रः’)

• विशालाक्षम्: one with large eyes
• विशालाक्षम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (‘विशालानि अक्षीणि यस्य’)

• शंकुकर्णम्: one with cone-like ears
• शंकुकर्णम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शंकु + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (‘शंकुवत् कर्णौ यस्य’)

• कराक्रमम्: one of mighty hand/hand-force
• कराक्रमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर + आक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘करस्य आक्रमः/आक्रमणशक्तिः’)

• नन्दीश्वरम्: Nandīśvara
• नन्दीश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘नन्दिनः ईश्वरः’)

• महाकालम्: Mahākāla
• महाकालम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘महान् कालः’)

• वज्रदंष्ट्रम्: one with thunderbolt-like fangs
• वज्रदंष्ट्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र + दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (‘वज्रवत् दंष्ट्रा यस्य’)

• महोन्मदम्: greatly frenzied
• महोन्मदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + उन्मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘महान् उन्मदः’)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it catalogs principal gaṇa-leaders (Vīrabhadra, Nandīśvara, Mahākāla, etc.), foregrounding Śiva’s fierce administrative and protective energies.

Significance: Supports kṣetra-rakṣā and bhaya-nivṛtti themes: remembering gaṇeśvaras and Bhairava-like attendants is held to ward off obstacles and instill steadfastness in Śiva-bhakti.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Virabhadra
• Nandishvara
• Mahakala

FAQs

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

The verse lists mighty gaṇas and forms aligned with Rudra’s śakti, showing that Śiva’s protective and transformative power operates through divinely appointed attendants—removing obstacles, subduing adharma, and guarding the devotee’s path toward liberation.

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

These names point to Saguna Śiva’s manifest sovereignty: the Liṅga is worshipped as the supreme Pati, while His gaṇas (like Nandīśvara and Vīrabhadra) represent His active governance of the cosmos and protection of dharma around the Liṅga’s sanctity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is nāma-smaraṇa (repetition of Śiva’s names) alongside Pañcākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), performed with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as signs of surrender to Śiva’s protective power.