Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28

शिवस्य सैन्यप्रयाणम् तथा गणपतिनामावलिः (Śiva’s Mobilization for War and the Catalogue of Gaṇa Commanders)

Devanagari script

सर्वे सहस्रहस्ताश्च जटामुकुटधारिणः । चन्द्ररेखावतंसाश्च नीलकंठास्त्रिलोचनाः

Transliteration

sarve sahasrahastāśca jaṭāmukuṭadhāriṇaḥ | candrarekhāvataṃsāśca nīlakaṃṭhāstrilocanāḥ

Translation

അവർ എല്ലാവരും സഹസ്രഹസ്തർ, ജടാമുകുടധാരികൾ; ചന്ദ്രരേഖയെ അലങ്കാരമായി ധരിച്ചു, നീലകണ്ഠരും ത്രിലോചനരുമായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• sahasra-hastāḥ: having a thousand hands
• sahasra-hastāḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; Bahuvrīhi: ‘having thousand hands’ (बहूनि हस्तानि यस्य)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (Conjunction/समुच्चय-निपात)

• jaṭā-mukuṭa-dhāriṇaḥ: wearing matted hair and crowns
• jaṭā-mukuṭa-dhāriṇaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + mukuṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; Ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa sense: ‘wearers of jaṭā and mukuṭa’ (जटामुकुटं धारयन्ति)

• candra-rekhā-vataṃsāḥ: with the moon-streak as an ornament
• candra-rekhā-vataṃsāḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक) + rekhā (प्रातिपदिक) + vataṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; Bahuvrīhi: ‘having the moon-streak as an ornament’ (चन्द्ररेखा वतंसो यस्य)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (Conjunction/समुच्चय-निपात)

• nīla-kaṇṭhāḥ: blue-throated
• nīla-kaṇṭhāḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; Bahuvrīhi: ‘blue-throated’ (नीलः कण्ठो यस्य)

• tri-locanāḥ: three-eyed
• tri-locanāḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + locana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; Bahuvrīhi: ‘three-eyed’ (त्रीणि लोचनानि यस्य)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Shiva-like marks—matted locks, crescent-moon emblem, blue throat, and three eyes—as sacred identifiers of divine consciousness and protection, encouraging devotees to contemplate Saguna Shiva’s auspicious attributes as a gateway to grace.

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

While the Liṅga points to the transcendent (Nirguṇa) reality of Shiva, this verse highlights recognizable Saguna characteristics that devotees hold in meditation and devotion; both approaches converge in bhakti and inner surrender to Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna on Shiva’s forms—Trinetra and Nīlakaṇṭha—while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”); if observed on Mahāśivarātri, it is traditionally paired with vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa as aids to remembrance.