Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 22

सतीदेव्याः योगमार्गेण देहत्यागः — Satī’s Yogic Abandonment of the Body

Devanagari script

गणा नाशाऽवशिष्टा ये शंकरस्य महात्मनः । दक्षं तं क्रोधितं हन्तुं मुदा तिष्ठन्नुदायुधाः

Transliteration

gaṇā nāśā'vaśiṣṭā ye śaṃkarasya mahātmanaḥ | dakṣaṃ taṃ krodhitaṃ hantuṃ mudā tiṣṭhannudāyudhāḥ

Translation

മഹാത്മാവായ ശങ്കരന്റെ ഗണങ്ങളിൽ നാശത്തിനു ശേഷം ശേഷിച്ചവർ ആയുധങ്ങൾ ഉയർത്തി ആനന്ദത്തോടെ നിന്നു; ക്രുദ്ധനായ ദക്ഷനെ വധിക്കുവാൻ ഒരുങ്ങി.

Word by Word

• गणाः: the gaṇas
• गणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नाशात्: from destruction
• नाशात्: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अवशिष्टाः: remaining/surviving
• अवशिष्टाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव + शिष् (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (past participle: ‘remaining’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण of गणाः

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संबन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शंकरस्य: of Śaṅkara
• शंकरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled
• महात्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण of शंकरस्य

• दक्षम्: Dakṣa
• दक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• क्रोधितम्: angered
• क्रोधितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (past participle: ‘angered’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of तम्

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृत्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), ‘to kill’

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक (instrumental of manner)

• तिष्ठन्: standing
• तिष्ठन्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Participial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + शतृ (कृत्)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘standing’ (agreeing with implied leader/they collectively)

• उदायुधाः: with weapons raised
• उदायुधाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत् (उपसर्ग) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (possessive: ‘having raised weapons’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण of गणाः

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Shankara)
• Ganas
• Daksha

FAQs

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

It highlights how ritual-power and social status, when driven by ego like Dakṣa’s, provoke destructive consequences; Śiva’s Gaṇas embody the force that shatters pride (pāśa) so the soul may turn toward true devotion to Pati (Śiva).

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

Dakṣa’s yajña represents external religiosity without reverence for Śiva; the verse underscores that honoring Saguna Śiva (as Śaṅkara) and His sacred presence (Linga) is essential—devotion is superior to prideful ritual performance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to replace anger and ego with Śiva-smaraṇa: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of humility and the impermanence of worldly pride.