Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10

शिवागमन-नाद-समागमः (Śiva’s Advent, the Drum-Sound, and the Cosmic Assembly)

Devanagari script

गणपाश्च महाभागास्सर्वलोक नमस्कृताः । तेषां संख्यामहं वच्मि सावधानतया शृणु

Transliteration

gaṇapāśca mahābhāgāssarvaloka namaskṛtāḥ | teṣāṃ saṃkhyāmahaṃ vacmi sāvadhānatayā śṛṇu

Translation

ആ ഗണന്മാരും മഹാഭാഗ്യശാലികൾ; സർവ്വലോകങ്ങളും അവരെ നമസ്കരിക്കുന്നു. ഇനി അവരുടെ സംഖ്യ ഞാൻ പറയുന്നു—സാവധാനമായി കേൾക്കുക.

Word by Word

• गणपाः: leaders of the gaṇas
• गणपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• महाभागाः: greatly fortunate, noble
• महाभागाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—महान् भागः यस्य/ये (very fortunate/noble)

• सर्वलोक-नमस्कृताः: revered by all the worlds
• सर्वलोक-नमस्कृताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + नमस्कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कृदन्त—क्त (PPP) ‘नमस्कृत’; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—सर्वलोकैः नमस्कृताः (honoured by all worlds/people)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• संख्याम्: the number
• संख्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-कर्तृवाचक सर्वनाम

• वच्मि: say, tell
• वच्मि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• सावधानतया: with attentiveness
• सावधानतया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-अवधानता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; भाववाचक (abstract noun)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It establishes the Gaṇas as exalted devotees and divine functionaries of Pati (Śiva), honored across worlds, and invites attentive listening—śravaṇa-bhakti—as a means to absorb sacred hierarchy and devotion.

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

By glorifying Śiva’s attendant hosts, the verse supports Saguna Śiva worship: devotion to the Lord’s manifest presence includes reverence for His divine order (Gaṇas) that protects and upholds His līlā and worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct practice is attentive śravaṇa (listening/recitation) of Śiva-kathā; as a takeaway, one may begin Linga-pūjā by invoking Śiva and His Gaṇas, then chant the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with focused attention.