Shloka 10

उमास्वयंवरः / भवोद्वाहः, गणसमागमः, अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यम्, तथा विनायक-उत्पत्तिसूचना

Devanagari script

हुङ्कारः प्रणवश्चैव प्रतिहाराः सहस्रशः कोटिरप्सरसो दिव्यास् तासां च परिचारिकाः

Transliteration

huṅkāraḥ praṇavaścaiva pratihārāḥ sahasraśaḥ koṭirapsaraso divyās tāsāṃ ca paricārikāḥ

Translation

രഹസ്യമയ ഹുങ്കാരവും പരിശുദ്ധ പ്രണവവും (ഓം) അവിടെയുണ്ട്; ആയിരക്കണക്കിന് പ്രതിഹാരന്മാർ (ദ്വാരപാലകർ) ഉണ്ട്. ഒരു കോടി ദിവ്യ അപ്സരസ്സുകൾ—അവരുടെ പരിചാരികകളോടുകൂടെ—അവിടെ സന്നിഹിതരാണ്।

Word by Word

• huṅkāraḥ: the syllable “huṅ,” a fierce protective mantra-sound

• praṇavaḥ: the Praṇava “Oṁ,” the primordial vibration

• ca eva: and indeed

• pratihārāḥ: doorkeepers/gate-wardens (protective attendants)

• sahasraśaḥ: by the thousands, innumerably

• koṭi: a crore (ten million), an immeasurable multitude

• apsarasaḥ: apsarases, heavenly nymphs

• divyāḥ: divine, celestial

• tāsām: of them

• ca: and

• paricārikāḥ: female attendants/handmaids

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Apsarases
• Pranava (Om)
• Huṅkāra

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames Linga-worship as entry into Shiva’s sacred domain, protected by mantra (Praṇava, Huṅkāra) and guarded by divine attendants—signifying that the rite is approached with purity, reverence, and inner protection.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva-tattva is shown as Nāda-brahman and Mantra-śakti (Praṇava and Huṅkāra), surrounded by an ordered divine retinue—revealing Pati (the Lord) as both transcendent sound-principle and immanent sovereign of a cosmic assembly.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-oriented practice is implied: centering the mind on Oṁ (Praṇava) and using protective bīja-like utterances such as huṅ for inner and outer guardianship—supporting Pāśupata-style discipline where sound restrains pasha (bondage) and steadies the pashu (soul) toward Pati.