Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 33

दक्षस्य रुद्रनिन्दा-निमित्तकथनम् / The Cause of Dakṣa’s Censure of Rudra

Devanagari script

अनाहतानि सन्नेदुः काहलानां शतानि च । सायुधानां गणेशानां महेशसमतेजसाम्

Transliteration

anāhatāni sanneduḥ kāhalānāṃ śatāni ca | sāyudhānāṃ gaṇeśānāṃ maheśasamatejasām

Translation

ఎవరు మోగించకపోయినా వందల యుద్ధకాహళాలు స్వయంగా మ్రోగాయి. మహేశునితో సమాన తేజస్సుగల, ఆయుధధారులైన గణేశగణాలు మహాబలంతో సమీకృతమయ్యాయి.

Word by Word

• anāhatāni: unstruck / not struck
• anāhatāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-āhata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √han धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); past passive participle used adjectivally

• sanneduḥ: resounded
• sanneduḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nad (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• kāhalānām: of trumpets
• kāhalānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāhala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• śatāni: hundreds
• śatāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• sa-āyudhānām: of those with weapons
• sa-āyudhānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (सह-तत्पुरुष: ‘with weapons’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• gaṇeśānām: of the gaṇeśas / troop-leaders
• gaṇeśānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• maheśa-sama-tejasām: of those whose splendor equaled Maheśa
• maheśa-sama-tejasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष: ‘having splendor equal to Maheśa’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; the marvel of unstruck trumpets (anāhata-kāhala) and armed gaṇa-hosts with Maheśa-like tejas signals a supernatural, awe-inducing mobilization of Śiva’s forces.

Significance: Contemplation of Śiva’s gaṇas as protectors dispels fear and strengthens trust in the Lord’s guardianship; evokes the sense of divine presence beyond ordinary causality (anāhata).

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: anāhata-dhvani (self-arising sound) as a miraculous omen

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganesha

FAQs

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

The self-resounding trumpets signify an autonomous, divine auspiciousness (śiva-śakti) where cosmic order responds to Mahēśa’s presence; in Shaiva Siddhanta this reflects Pati’s sovereign tejas moving the world and protecting devotees through his gaṇas.

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

The verse highlights Saguna Shiva’s manifest power—Mahēśa’s tejas and his organized hosts—often contemplated in Linga worship as the protective, grace-bestowing presence of Shiva who becomes accessible through form, mantra, and ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to perform Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with bhakti, visualizing Shiva’s tejas as a protective aura; optionally accompany worship with traditional sounds (bell/conch) and Tripuṇḍra/bhasma as Shaiva markers of refuge in Mahēśa.