Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 29
तामाह देवीं गिरिशो दृष्टपूर्वास्तु ते त्वया । एते गणा मे क्रीडंति शैलेऽस्मिंस्त्वत्प्रियाः शुभे
tāmāha devīṃ giriśo dṛṣṭapūrvāstu te tvayā | ete gaṇā me krīḍaṃti śaile'smiṃstvatpriyāḥ śubhe
ഗിരീശൻ ദേവിയോട് പറഞ്ഞു—‘ഇവരെ നീ മുമ്പേ കണ്ടിട്ടുള്ളവരാണ്. ഹേ ശുഭേ! ഇവർ എന്റെ ഗണങ്ങൾ; ഈ പർവതത്തിൽ കളിക്കുന്നു, കാരണം ഇവർ നിനക്കു പ്രിയരാണ്.’
Śiva (Giriśa/Śaṅkara/Hara)
Type: peak
Scene: Śiva gestures toward the slopes where gaṇas—varied in form—play, dance, and shout; Devī’s face shifts from wonder to recognition as Śiva reassures her of their familiarity and affection.
FAQs
Śiva’s cosmic household includes Gaṇas who serve and play within divine order; devotion includes recognizing the sacred community around the deity.
The mountain setting (Mandara) is the sacred locale implied in the surrounding verses.
None; the verse clarifies the identity of the Gaṇas within the narrative.