Shloka 96

Adhyaya 72 — Puradāha: Rudra’s Cosmic Chariot, Pāśupata-Vrata, and Brahmā’s Shiva-Stuti

Devanagari script

रथेन किं चेषुवरेण तस्य गणैश् च किं देवगणैश् च शंभोः पुरत्रयं दग्धुमलुप्तशक्तेः किमेतद् इत्याहुर् अजेन्द्रमुख्याः

Transliteration

rathena kiṃ ceṣuvareṇa tasya gaṇaiś ca kiṃ devagaṇaiś ca śaṃbhoḥ puratrayaṃ dagdhumaluptaśakteḥ kimetad ityāhur ajendramukhyāḥ

Translation

അവനു രഥം എന്തിന്? ശ്രേഷ്ഠമായ അമ്പ് എന്തിന്? ശംഭുവിന് ഗണങ്ങളോ ദേവഗണങ്ങളോ എന്തിന്? ശക്തി ഒരിക്കലും ക്ഷയിക്കാത്ത അവൻ ഒറ്റയ്ക്കുതന്നെ ത്രിപുരം ദഹിപ്പാൻ കഴിയും. ‘അപ്പോൾ ഇതെല്ലാം എന്തിനാണ്?’—എന്ന് അജനും ഇന്ദ്രനും മുതലായ പ്രമുഖർ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• रथेन: with a chariot/for a chariot

• किम्: what (need)?

• चेषुवरेण: with an excellent arrow

• तस्य: for him/of him

• गणैः: with the gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants)

• च: and

• किम्: what (need)?

• देवगणैः: with the hosts of gods

• च: and

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)

• पुरत्रयम्: the three cities (Tripura)

• दग्धुम्: to burn

• अलुप्त-शक्तेः: whose power is undiminishing/unimpaired

• किम् एतत्: what is this (purpose)?

• इति: thus

• आहुः: they said

• अजेन्द्र-मुख्याः: the foremost among Aja (Brahmā) and Indra (the leading Devas).

Speaker

Devas led by Brahma and Indra (as recounted within Suta’s narration)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shambhu
• Ganas
• Devas
• Brahma (Aja)
• Indra

FAQs

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

It underscores Shiva’s alupta-śakti—his power is self-existent and not dependent on external aids—supporting Linga worship as devotion to the independent Pati rather than to contingent instruments.

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

Shiva is portrayed as the sovereign Pati whose śakti never wanes; even cosmic functions like destroying Tripura do not require support from devas, weapons, or vehicles—these are symbolic upāyas, not necessities.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative takeaway aligned with Pāśupata orientation: meditate on Shiva’s independence (svātantrya) and offer worship seeing all ritual implements as symbols, while the true refuge is the Pati beyond pasha (bondage).