Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21
शिवस्य सैन्यप्रयाणम् तथा गणपतिनामावलिः (Śiva’s Mobilization for War and the Catalogue of Gaṇa Commanders)
कोटिकोटिसहस्राणां शतैर्विंशतिभिस्तथा । तत्राजग्मुस्तथा वीरास्ते सर्वे संगरोत्सवे
koṭikoṭisahasrāṇāṃ śatairviṃśatibhistathā | tatrājagmustathā vīrāste sarve saṃgarotsave
ทั้งเป็นโกฏิต่อโกฏิ เป็นพันต่อพัน—แม้เป็นร้อยและเป็นยี่สิบเป็นหมู่—เหล่าวีรชนทั้งหมดก็พากันมาถึงที่นั่น ด้วยความใคร่ในมหาเทศกาลแห่งศึกสงคราม.
Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Rudra
FAQs
It portrays the immense, almost cosmic scale of the conflict and frames battle as a saṅgarotsava—an event where dharma, courage, and divine ordinance unfold, reminding the seeker that even worldly upheaval operates under Śiva’s sovereign order (Pati).
Though the verse is descriptive, the Shaiva lens sees all assemblies and actions as occurring within Saguna Śiva’s governance; the devotee remembers the Liṅga as the stable center (Pati) amid the movement of armies, cultivating inner steadiness while engaging outer duty.
A practical takeaway is to maintain japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) for steadiness and fearlessness, and to uphold Tripuṇḍra-bhasma remembrance of impermanence while performing one’s dharma without agitation.