Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 4

शिवदूतस्य शङ्खचूडकुलप्रवेशः — The Śiva-Envoy’s Entry into Śaṅkhacūḍa’s City

Devanagari script

गत्वा ददर्श तन्मध्ये शंखचूडालयं वरम् । राजितं द्वादशैर्द्वारैर्द्वारपालसमन्वितम्

Transliteration

gatvā dadarśa tanmadhye śaṃkhacūḍālayaṃ varam | rājitaṃ dvādaśairdvārairdvārapālasamanvitam

Translation

เมื่อไปถึงที่นั่น เขาได้เห็นกลางสถานที่นั้นเป็นพระราชวังอันรุ่งเรืองของศังคจูฑะ งดงามด้วยประตูสิบสองทวาร และมีทวารบาลเฝ้ารักษาอยู่

Word by Word

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund) — having gone

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• तत्-मध्ये: in the midst of that (city)
• तत्-मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य मध्ये) — Neuter, Locative, Singular

• शंखचूड-आलयम्: the abode of Śaṅkhacūḍa
• शंखचूड-आलयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंखचूड (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शंखचूडस्य आलयः) — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वरम्: excellent
• वरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; adjectival to आलयम्

• राजितम्: adorned
• राजितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन रूपेण; here agreeing with आलयम् (पुं, द्वि, एक) — adorned/illuminated

• द्वादशैः: with twelve
• द्वादशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन — Instrumental, Plural; numeral adjective to द्वारैः

• द्वारैः: by/with gates
• द्वारैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• द्वारपाल-समन्वितम्: accompanied by gatekeepers
• द्वारपाल-समन्वितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वारपाल (प्रातिपदिक; द्वार + पाल) + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (द्वारपालैः समन्वितम्) — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; adjectival to आलयम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: No Jyotirliṅga; the palace description (twelve gates, guards) symbolizes fortified egoity and māyāic enclosure—an asuric microcosm resisting divine order.

Significance: Allegorical teaching: the ‘twelve gates’ can be read as the body’s openings/avenues of sense-experience; without Śiva’s anugraha, the paśu remains guarded by pāśa (bondage) and cannot access liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Shankhachuda

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the outward grandeur and guarded security of a powerful asura’s domain, implying that worldly might and fortified splendor are external protections, whereas true fearlessness and liberation in Shaiva thought arise from taking refuge in Pati (Śiva), not in possessions or power.

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

By contrasting a guarded palace with the devotee’s refuge in Saguna Śiva (worshiped as the Liṅga), the narrative subtly points to the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis that grace and protection come from Śiva’s presence, not from human/asuric fortifications; the Liṅga becomes the true ‘gateway’ to auspiciousness and inner sovereignty.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to replace reliance on external ‘gates’ with inner guarding through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and daily Śiva-smaraṇa; if following Purāṇic observance, one may add Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of Śiva-protection amid conflict.