Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7

गिलासुर-आक्रमणम् तथा शिवसैन्य-समाह्वानम् — The Assault of Gila and Śiva’s Mobilization

Devanagari script

अन्यैश्च नाना विधजीवसंघैर्विशीर्णदंशाः स्फुटितैस्स्मशानैः । भुजंगमैः प्रेतशतैः पिशाचैर्दिव्यैर्विमानैः कमलाकरैश्च

Transliteration

anyaiśca nānā vidhajīvasaṃghairviśīrṇadaṃśāḥ sphuṭitaissmaśānaiḥ | bhujaṃgamaiḥ pretaśataiḥ piśācairdivyairvimānaiḥ kamalākaraiśca

Translation

At kasama pa ang maraming pulutong ng sari-saring nilalang—sa gitna ng mga wasak at gumuho na pook ng pagsusunog ng bangkay, na ang mga pangil ay tila napudpod at nagiba—naroon ang mga ahas, daan-daang preta, at mga piśāca; at naroon din ang mga kahanga-hangang banal na vimāna at mga lawaing hitik sa mga lotus.

Word by Word

• अन्यैः: by/with others
• अन्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; adjective used substantively = 'by/with others'

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

• नाना: various
• नाना: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverbial) = 'variously, of many kinds'

• विध-जीव-संघैः: with groups of various living beings
• विध-जीव-संघैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidha (प्रातिपदिक) + jīva (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्धारणार्थः: 'जीवानां विधाः' + 'जीवसंघाः'

• विशीर्ण-दंशाः: whose fangs were shattered
• विशीर्ण-दंशाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-śṝ (धातु) → viśīrṇa (कृदन्त, भूतकृदन्त/क्त) + daṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: 'येषां दंशाः विशीर्णाः' = having broken/fallen fangs

• स्फुटितैः: with broken/cleft
• स्फुटितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sphuṭ (धातु) → sphuṭita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural qualifying next noun

• श्मशानैः: with cremation grounds
• श्मशानैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śmaśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• भुजंगमैः: with serpents
• भुजंगमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhujaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• प्रेत-शतैः: with hundreds of ghosts
• प्रेत-शतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; द्विगु: 'शतं प्रेतानाम्' = hundreds of pretas

• पिशाचैः: with piśācas (ghouls)
• पिशाचैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piśāca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• दिव्यैः: with divine
• दिव्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; qualifies 'vimānaiḥ'

• विमानैः: with aerial chariots
• विमानैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vimāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• कमलाकरैः: with lotus-lakes
• कमलाकरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala (प्रातिपदिक) + ākara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'कमलानाम् आकाराः/आकराः' = lotus-lakes/lotus-mines

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Kālabhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse juxtaposes terrifying cremation-ground imagery (pretas, piśācas, serpents) with auspicious divine elements (vimānas, lotus-lakes), reflecting Shiva’s lordship over both the fearful and the beautiful—pointing to his transcendence (Pati) beyond purity/impurity and the devotee’s movement from fear to detachment and grace.

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

As Saguna Shiva, the Lord is described as the master of bhūtas and the cremation ground, yet also the source of divine order and splendor; Linga-worship similarly trains the mind to perceive the one Shiva present in all conditions—auspicious and inauspicious—leading toward inner steadiness and devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is fearless japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) remembrance of impermanence; meditating on Shiva as the Lord of the cremation ground helps cultivate vairāgya and reduces anxiety about death and change.