Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 36

दक्षयज्ञदर्शनम् — The Vision of Dakṣa’s Great Sacrifice

and the Onset of Vīrabhadra’s Terror

Devanagari script

रक्तासवं पिबन्तश्च ननृतुर्गणपुंगवाः । निर्मथ्य सेंद्रानमरान् गणेन्द्रान्वृषेन्द्रनागेन्द्रमृगेन्द्रसाराः

Transliteration

raktāsavaṃ pibantaśca nanṛturgaṇapuṃgavāḥ | nirmathya seṃdrānamarān gaṇendrānvṛṣendranāgendramṛgendrasārāḥ

Translation

Bebendo o licor vermelho fermentado, os mais eminentes dos gaṇas de Śiva dançaram. Tendo revolvido e sacudido até os deuses imortais com Indra, esses poderosos líderes das hostes moviam-se como senhores entre touros, elefantes e leões—céleres e avassaladores.

Word by Word

• रक्त-आसवम्: red liquor
• रक्त-आसवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आसव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (red liquor)

• पिबन्तः: drinking
• पिबन्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• ननृतुः: they danced
• ननृतुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• गण-पुंगवाः: the foremost gaṇas
• गण-पुंगवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + पुंगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (bulls/leaders among the gaṇas)

• निर्मथ्य: having churned/harassed
• निर्मथ्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Preceding action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निर्-मथ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• स-इन्द्रान्: along with (their) Indras/leaders
• स-इन्द्रान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (together with Indras/leaders)

• अमरान्: the immortals (gods)
• अमरान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• गणेन्द्रान्: gaṇa-lords
• गणेन्द्रान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (lords of gaṇas)

• वृष-इन्द्र-नाग-इन्द्र-मृग-इन्द्र-साराः: the best among bull-lords, serpent-lords, and beast-lords
• वृष-इन्द्र-नाग-इन्द्र-मृग-इन्द्र-साराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (enumerative): वृषेन्द्र + नागेन्द्र + मृगेन्द्र + सार (श्रेष्ठ/सारभूताः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Indra
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It portrays the overwhelming śakti that flows from devotion to Pati (Śiva): even the devas are “shaken,” implying that worldly power is secondary to the Lord’s cosmic sovereignty and to the transformative force of His retinue.

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

The gaṇas represent the manifest (saguṇa) sphere of Śiva’s governance—His visible, dynamic power that protects dharma and dissolves pride; Linga-worship trains the devotee to recognize that same Lord as the inner Pati beyond all rival claims of authority.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Rather than imitating the outward frenzy, the takeaway is steadiness in Śiva-bhakti: chant the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with tripuṇḍra-bhasma and rudrākṣa, offering the mind’s restlessness into Śiva’s order.