Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 8

गिलासुर-आक्रमणम् तथा शिवसैन्य-समाह्वानम् — The Assault of Gila and Śiva’s Mobilization

Devanagari script

नदीनदैः पर्वतवाहनैश्च समागताः प्रांजलयः प्रणम्य । कपर्दिनं तस्थुरदीनसत्त्वास्सेनापतिं वीरकमेव कृत्वा

Transliteration

nadīnadaiḥ parvatavāhanaiśca samāgatāḥ prāṃjalayaḥ praṇamya | kapardinaṃ tasthuradīnasattvāssenāpatiṃ vīrakameva kṛtvā

Translation

Reunidos com os rios e seus senhores, e com as montanhas e seus portadores, aproximaram-se com as mãos postas e se prostraram. Então, firmes e destemidos, permaneceram diante de Kapardin (o Senhor Śiva), nomeando somente Vīraka como comandante supremo.

Word by Word

• नदी-नदैः: with rivers and streams
• नदी-नदैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक) + nada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व: 'नद्यश्च नदाश्च'

• पर्वत-वाहनैः: with mountain(-like) mounts/vehicles
• पर्वत-वाहनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक) + vāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'पर्वतानां वाहनानि' = mountain-like vehicles/mounts

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• समागताः: assembled/came together
• समागताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-gam (धातु) → samāgata (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; finite sense: 'they came/assembled'

• प्राञ्जलयः: with folded hands
• प्राञ्जलयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāñjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; adjective used substantively: 'with joined palms'

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-nam (धातु) → praṇamya (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-अव्ययभाव)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त): 'having bowed'

• कपर्दिनम्: Kapardin (Śiva, the matted-haired)
• कपर्दिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapardin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; epithet of Śiva

• तस्थुः: stood
• तस्थुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• अदीन-सत्त्वाः: undaunted/brave-hearted
• अदीन-सत्त्वाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-dīna (प्रातिपदिक) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: 'येषां सत्त्वं अदीनम्' = whose courage is not dejected

• सेनापतिम्: commander of the army
• सेनापतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: senāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• वीरकम्: Vīraka
• वीरकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; proper name/title

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कृत्वा: having made/appointed
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛ (धातु) → kṛtvā (कृदन्त, क्त्वा)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त): 'having made/appointed'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kapardin
• Viraka

FAQs

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

It shows the Shaiva Siddhanta mood of śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge): even powerful beings assemble, bow with prāñjali, and stand before Śiva as the supreme Pati, from whom right order and protection arise.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna Śiva—Kapardin, the personal Lord who receives pranāma and grants guidance. This is the same devotional orientation expressed in Liṅga-worship: approaching Śiva with humility, reverence, and trust in His lordship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate practice is pranāma with joined palms (prāñjali) and inner steadiness (adīna-sattva). As a Shaiva takeaway, one may pair this with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while mentally offering surrender to Śiva’s command and protection.