Shloka 25

उमास्वयंवरः / भवोद्वाहः, गणसमागमः, अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यम्, तथा विनायक-उत्पत्तिसूचना

Devanagari script

भूतकोटिसहस्रेण प्रमथः कोटिभिस्त्रिभिः वीरभद्रश्चतुःषष्ट्या रोमजाश्चैव कोटिभिः

Transliteration

bhūtakoṭisahasreṇa pramathaḥ koṭibhistribhiḥ vīrabhadraścatuḥṣaṣṭyā romajāścaiva koṭibhiḥ

Translation

भूतकोटिसहस्रेण सह; प्रमथाः कोटिभिस्त्रिभिः। चतुःषष्ट्या वीरभद्रप्रमुखैः; रोमजाश्चैव कोटिभिः—एवं रुद्रगणाः प्रभोः कार्याय समागताः।

Word by Word

• bhūta: elemental being / spirit-attendant

• koṭi: a crore (ten million)

• sahasreṇa: by a thousand

• pramathaḥ: Pramatha-gaṇa (Shiva’s fierce attendants)

• koṭibhiḥ: by crores

• tribhiḥ: by three

• vīrabhadraḥ: Vīrabhadra (Rudra’s warrior-manifestation)

• catuḥṣaṣṭyā: by sixty-four

• romajāḥ: Romajas (a class of Shiva’s gaṇas, 'hair/skin-born' attendants)

• ca: and

• eva: indeed/also

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya, recounting the internal Purana narrative of Shiva’s gaṇas)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vīrabhadra
• Bhūtas
• Pramathas
• Romajas

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It emphasizes that the Liṅga’s Lord (Pati, Shiva) is not merely a personal deity but the sovereign of vast gaṇa-hosts; Liṅga-pūjā aligns the worshipper (paśu) with Rudra’s protecting and purifying power that overrules hostile forces (pāśa).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva-tattva is shown as supreme lordship (aiśvarya): Rudra commands innumerable classes of beings—Bhūtas, Pramathas, and Vīrabhadra’s forces—indicating Pati’s mastery over all levels of manifestation, from subtle to fierce.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse implicitly supports Pāśupata-bhāva: taking refuge in Pati through Liṅga-pūjā and Rudra-mantra, the sādhaka gains protection and inner steadiness, recognizing that all powers ultimately serve Shiva’s ordinance.