Shloka 16

गणसमागमः (Śiva Summons the Gaṇas for the Great Festival)

Devanagari script

सुमन्त्रः कोटिकोट्या च गणानां गणानायकः । काकपादोदरः कोटिषष्ट्या सन्तानकस्तथा

Transliteration

sumantraḥ koṭikoṭyā ca gaṇānāṃ gaṇānāyakaḥ | kākapādodaraḥ koṭiṣaṣṭyā santānakastathā

Translation

สุมันตระเป็นผู้นำคณะคณะด้วยบริวารนับโกฏิแล้วโกฏิ; และกากปาโททร ผู้มีนามว่า สันตานกะ มีคณะคณะหกสิบโกฏิอยู่ใต้บังคับบัญชา।

Word by Word

• सुमन्त्रः: Sumantra (name)
• सुमन्त्रः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine nominative singular

• कोटि-कोट्या: with crore upon crore
• कोटि-कोट्या: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार/परिमाण-प्रयोग); Feminine instrumental singular

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

• गणानाम्: of the gaṇas
• गणानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine genitive plural

• गण-नायकः: leader of the gaṇas
• गण-नायकः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गणानाम् नायकः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine nominative singular

• काक-पाद-उदरः: one whose belly is like a crow's foot (name)
• काक-पाद-उदरः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काक + पाद + उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (काकपादमिव उदरं यस्य); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine nominative singular

• कोटि-षष्ट्या: with sixty crores
• कोटि-षष्ट्या: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि + षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (कोटीनां षष्टिः = साठ कोटि); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine instrumental singular

• सन्तानकः: Santānaka (name)
• सन्तानकः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्तानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine nominative singular

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/तुल्यार्थे (likewise)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It magnifies Śiva’s sovereignty by describing the vast hosts of Gaṇas and their chiefs, reminding the devotee that the Lord’s protective, orderly power (aiśvarya) is immeasurable and ever-available to those who take refuge in him.

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

The Gaṇas are attendants of Saguna Śiva—his manifest lordship expressed through divine order and guardianship. Worship of the Liṅga includes reverence for Śiva as Pati who commands these hosts, reinforcing trust in his grace and protection.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to worship Śiva with the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while cultivating śaraṇāgati (surrender), visualizing Śiva’s Gaṇas as guardians removing obstacles; this can be paired with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as traditional Shaiva supports.