Shloka 36

Adhyaya 63: Daksha’s Progeny, Kashyapa’s Offspring, and the Rishi-Vamshas that Sustain the Worlds

Devanagari script

एलापत्रमहापद्मधृतराष्ट्रबलाहकाः शङ्खपालमहाशङ्खपुष्पदंष्ट्रशुभाननाः

Transliteration

elāpatramahāpadmadhṛtarāṣṭrabalāhakāḥ śaṅkhapālamahāśaṅkhapuṣpadaṃṣṭraśubhānanāḥ

Translation

ഏലാപത്രൻ, മഹാപദ്മൻ, ധൃതരാഷ്ട്രൻ, ബലാഹകൻ; ശംഖപാലൻ, മഹാശംഖൻ, പുഷ്പദംഷ്ട്രൻ, ശുഭാനനൻ—ഇവർ പ്രസിദ്ധ നാഗങ്ങൾ; പ്രഭുവിന്റെ നിയമത്തിൽ നിലകൊണ്ട് പതി (ശിവൻ) അധീനമായ ക്രമസൃഷ്ടിയെ സേവിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• एलापत्र (Elāpatra): a Nāga named ‘Elāpatra’

• महापद्म (Mahāpadma): the great lotus (name of a Nāga)

• धृतराष्ट्र (Dhṛtarāṣṭra): ‘supporter of the realm’ (name of a Nāga)

• बलाहक (Balāhaka): cloud-bearer (name of a Nāga)

• शङ्खपाल (Śaṅkhapāla): protector associated with conch/auspiciousness (name of a Nāga)

• महाशङ्ख (Mahāśaṅkha): great conch (name of a Nāga)

• पुष्पदंष्ट्र (Puṣpadaṃṣṭra): ‘flower-fanged’ (name of a Nāga)

• शुभानन (Śubhānana): ‘auspicious-faced’ (name of a Nāga)

• -आः (-āḥ): plural nominative ending indicating ‘these (are)’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Nāgas
• Elāpatra
• Mahāpadma
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Balāhaka
• Śaṅkhapāla
• Mahāśaṅkha
• Puṣpadaṃṣṭra
• Śubhānana
• Shiva

FAQs

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

By listing Nāga lineages, the verse situates Linga worship within Śiva’s cosmic governance (niyati), reminding the devotee that all classes of beings are sustained under Pati’s order.

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

Implicitly, it presents Śiva as Pati—the regulating Lord whose ordinance upholds the structured universe, including powerful non-human orders like the Nāgas.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No direct puja-vidhi is stated; the takeaway is contemplative (smaraṇa): recitation/remembering of sacred beings as part of puranic śravaṇa-kīrtana supporting devotion to Śiva as Pati.