Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 12

भोजन-आह्वान-प्रकरणम् — The Episode of Invitation and the Divine Feast

Devanagari script

तथा चण्डीगणास्सर्वे बुभुजुः कृतभाजनाः । कुतूहलं प्रकुर्वन्तो नानाहास्यकरा मुदा

Transliteration

tathā caṇḍīgaṇāssarve bubhujuḥ kṛtabhājanāḥ | kutūhalaṃ prakurvanto nānāhāsyakarā mudā

Translation

Cũng vậy, toàn thể các đoàn tùy chúng của Caṇḍī đều thọ thực, phần ăn đã được dọn sẵn. Với lòng háo hức hiếu kỳ, lại buông nhiều lời đùa vui, họ hân hoan trong niềm mừng rỡ.

Word by Word

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (likewise)

• चण्डी-गणाः: the troops/attendants of Caṇḍī
• चण्डी-गणाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डी (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (चण्ड्याः गणाः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• बुभुजुः: ate/enjoyed
• बुभुजुः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• कृत-भाजनाः: with prepared vessels/utensils
• कृत-भाजनाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातु, कृदन्त क्त) + भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कृतानि भाजनानि येषाम्/कृतभाजनाः = having prepared vessels/with prepared utensils)

• कुतूहलम्: curiosity; amusement
• कुतूहलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रकुर्वन्तः: doing/creating
• प्रकुर्वन्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु) → कुर्वत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले (present active participle)

• नाना-हास्य-कराः: causing various kinds of laughter
• नाना-हास्य-कराः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + हास्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नानाविधं हास्यं करोति इति/ये)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karaṇa (करण/Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; भावे करण (with joy)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Caṇḍikā

Role: destructive

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Chandi (Devi)
• Chandi-gana (attendants of the Goddess)

FAQs

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

It highlights the auspicious, harmonious atmosphere surrounding the divine narrative—joy, fellowship, and sacred celebration arise naturally in the presence of Devi’s attendants, reflecting a dharmic order where devotion expresses itself as gladness rather than agitation.

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

Though the verse describes Devi’s retinue, it supports the Shiva Purana’s Saguna framework: divine forms and their attendants participate in līlā and auspicious rites, showing that devotion to Shiva and reverence for Shakti coexist as complementary dimensions of the same sacred reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is cultivating sattvic joy in worship—offer food (naivedya) with purity and share prasad in a spirit of reverent happiness while remembering Shiva through japa (e.g., the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to keep celebration anchored in devotion.