Shloka 98

Adhyaya 72 — Puradāha: Rudra’s Cosmic Chariot, Pāśupata-Vrata, and Brahmā’s Shiva-Stuti

Devanagari script

पुरत्रयस्यास्य समीपवर्ती सुरेश्वरैर् नन्दिमुखैश् च नन्दी गणैर्गणेशस्तु रराज देव्या जगद्रथो मेरुरिवाष्टशृङ्गैः

Transliteration

puratrayasyāsya samīpavartī sureśvarair nandimukhaiś ca nandī gaṇairgaṇeśastu rarāja devyā jagadratho merurivāṣṭaśṛṅgaiḥ

Translation

पुरत्रयस्यास्य समीपवर्ती सुरेश्वरैर् नन्दिमुखैश्च नन्दी। गणैर्गणेशस्तु रराज देव्या जगद्रथो मेरुरिवाष्टशृङ्गैः॥

Word by Word

• पुरत्रयस्य (puratrayasya): of the three cities (Tripura)

• अस्य (asya): of this/that

• समीपवर्ती (samīpavartī): standing near, stationed close by

• सुरेश्वरैः (sureśvaraiḥ): by the lords of the Devas

• नन्दिमुखैः (nandimukhaiḥ): by Nandimukha

• च (ca): and

• नन्दी (nandī): Nandin

• गणैः (gaṇaiḥ): by the gaṇa-hosts

• गणेशः (gaṇeśaḥ): Gaṇeśa, lord of the gaṇas

• तु (tu): indeed

• रराज (rarāja): shone, blazed forth

• देव्या (devyā): of/for the Goddess (Śakti)

• जगद्रथः (jagad-rathaḥ): cosmic chariot / chariot of the world-order

• मेरुः (meruḥ): Mount Meru

• इव (iva): like

• अष्टशृङ्गैः (āṣṭa-śṛṅgaiḥ): with eight peaks

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Ganesha
• Shiva
• Devi (Shakti)
• Nandin
• Nandimukha
• Devas
• Ganas
• Tripura
• Mount Meru

FAQs

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

It highlights that Śiva’s triumph is never solitary: the gaṇa-retinue and Gaṇeśa stand as guardians of the sacred order around the Lord’s act. In Linga-worship, this maps to protecting the rite with purity, proper attendants (inner disciplines), and Śakti’s sanction—so the offering becomes a means for the paśu (soul) to approach Pati (Lord) beyond pāśa (bondage).

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

Śiva-tattva is implied as sovereign cosmic governance: the Devas and gaṇas assemble around the divine act, indicating that all powers function as Śiva’s instruments. The mention of Devī as “jagad-ratha” underscores that Śiva’s will manifests through Śakti—consciousness (Pati) inseparable from power—by which cosmic order is restored.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to gaṇa-sevā and protective discipline around worship—an inner Pāśupata principle: stabilize the ‘retinue’ of the mind (restraint, devotion, mantra-support) so the act of worship becomes effective. It also reflects the śakti-supported approach to Śiva: worship is complete when devotion is aligned with Śakti and guarded by steadiness (like Meru).