Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 1

गजासुरतपः–देवलोकक्षोभः

Gajāsura’s Austerities and the Disturbance of the Worlds

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । शृणु व्यास महाप्रेम्णा चरितं शशिमौलिनः । यथाऽवधीत्त्रिशूलेन दानवेन्द्रं गजासुरम्

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | śṛṇu vyāsa mahāpremṇā caritaṃ śaśimaulinaḥ | yathā'vadhīttriśūlena dānavendraṃ gajāsuram

Translation

سنَتکُمار نے کہا—اے ویاس! بڑے پریم سے ششی مَولی بھگوان شِو کا پاکیزہ چرتِر سنو؛ کہ انہوں نے ترِیشول سے دانَوؤں کے سردار گجاسُر کو کیسے وध کیا۔

Word by Word

• sanat-kumāraḥ: Sanatkumāra
• sanat-kumāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanat (प्रातिपदिक) + kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वक्ता/कर्ता

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• vyāsa: O Vyāsa
• vyāsa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; सम्बोधन

• mahā-premṇā: with great love
• mahā-premṇā: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + prema (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु (instrumental: with/through; also cause)

• caritam: the story/deeds
• caritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: carita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• śaśi-maulinaḥ: of the moon-crested one (Śiva)
• śaśi-maulinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaśin (प्रातिपदिक) + maulin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• yathā: how/as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction/adverb), उपमान/प्रकारार्थे “as/how”

• avadhīt: slew
• avadhīt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vadh (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/लुङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• triśūlena: with the trident
• triśūlena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: triśūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण

• dānava-indram: the lord of demons
• dānava-indram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• gaja-asuram: Gajāsura (the elephant-demon)
• gaja-asuram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म; दानवेन्द्रस्य विशेषण-रूपेण अपि

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Gajasamhāramūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sanatkumara
• Vyasa
• Gajasura

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes śravaṇa—devotional listening with love—as a direct means to awaken bhakti toward Pati (Śiva). Hearing His līlā purifies the pashu (bound soul) and loosens pāśa (bondage) by turning the mind toward the Lord’s protecting, grace-bestowing power.

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

By naming Śiva as “śaśimauli” (Moon-crested), the verse points to Saguna Shiva—worshipped through form, names, and līlā. Such narration supports Linga-bhakti because the Linga is the accessible presence of the same Lord whose deeds are being heard and contemplated.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice śravaṇa and manana: regularly listen to (or recite) Shiva Purana chapters with devotion, then contemplate Śiva as the protector who removes inner “asuric” tendencies. A simple support is japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—before and after the reading.