Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

हिमवतः सुमङ्गलोत्सव-नगररचना

Himavān’s Auspicious Festival Preparations and City Adornment

Devanagari script

वामपार्श्वे गजौ द्वौ च शुद्धकाश्मीरसन्निभौ । चतुर्दन्तो षष्टिवर्षौ भेदमानौ महाप्रभौ

Transliteration

vāmapārśve gajau dvau ca śuddhakāśmīrasannibhau | caturdanto ṣaṣṭivarṣau bhedamānau mahāprabhau

Translation

左方には、清らかなカシミール（サフランの色）にも似た二頭の象がいた。各々四本の牙を備え、齢は六十。大いなる威光を放ち、発情の時にあって壮麗を湛えていた。

Word by Word

• वाम-पार्श्वे: on the left side
• वाम-पार्श्वे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; ‘वामं पार्श्वम्’ (on the left side)

• गजौ: two elephants
• गजौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (dual)

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction), अव्यय

• शुद्ध-काश्मीर-सन्निभौ: resembling pure Kaśmīra (saffron-like)
• शुद्ध-काश्मीर-सन्निभौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + काश्मीर (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘शुद्धकाश्मीरस्य सन्निभौ’ (resembling pure saffron/Kaśmīra)

• चतुः-दन्तौ: four-tusked
• चतुः-दन्तौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; द्विगुसमास—‘चत्वारः दन्ताः यस्य’ (four-tusked)

• षष्टि-वर्षौ: sixty years old
• षष्टि-वर्षौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; द्विगु—‘षष्टिः वर्षाणि यस्य’ (sixty years old)

• भेदमानौ: splitting/cleaving (as they moved)
• भेदमानौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्यय (present middle participle), आत्मनेपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• महा-प्रभौ: very mighty/splendid
• महा-प्रभौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a Jyotirliṅga; the elephants function as dik/maṇḍapa-guardianship imagery, signaling cosmic order around Śiva’s auspicious presence.

Significance: Meditation on Śiva’s divine retinue and auspicious vāhana/guardianship imagery supports bhakti and inner steadiness (sthāiratā) in the aspirant.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse portrays auspicious, powerful guardianship around the divine presence—signs of Śiva’s anugraha (grace) manifesting in the saguna realm through majestic, radiant attendants.

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

Though not explicitly about the Liṅga, such descriptions support saguna-upāsanā: devotees contemplate Śiva’s sacred sphere as filled with auspicious marks, strengthening faith and devotional visualization that culminates in Liṅga worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna (devotional visualization) of the Lord’s auspicious abode before japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and offering bhasma/tripuṇḍra as a reminder of Śiva’s protective, grace-filled presence.