Shloka 98

Adhyaya 72 — Puradāha: Rudra’s Cosmic Chariot, Pāśupata-Vrata, and Brahmā’s Shiva-Stuti

Devanagari script

पुरत्रयस्यास्य समीपवर्ती सुरेश्वरैर् नन्दिमुखैश् च नन्दी गणैर्गणेशस्तु रराज देव्या जगद्रथो मेरुरिवाष्टशृङ्गैः

Transliteration

puratrayasyāsya samīpavartī sureśvarair nandimukhaiś ca nandī gaṇairgaṇeśastu rarāja devyā jagadratho merurivāṣṭaśṛṅgaiḥ

Translation

在那三城（Tripura）近旁，伽内沙——伽那之主——光辉显现，周围环侍着诸天之主、难提穆迦（Nandimukha）、难提（Nandin）以及众多随从伽那。他宛如八峰之须弥山（Meru），又如女神（Śakti）在湿婆胜利的宇宙仪轨中所乘的神圣战车。

Word by Word

• पुरत्रयस्य (puratrayasya): of the three cities (Tripura)

• अस्य (asya): of this/that

• समीपवर्ती (samīpavartī): standing near, stationed close by

• सुरेश्वरैः (sureśvaraiḥ): by the lords of the Devas

• नन्दिमुखैः (nandimukhaiḥ): by Nandimukha

• च (ca): and

• नन्दी (nandī): Nandin

• गणैः (gaṇaiḥ): by the gaṇa-hosts

• गणेशः (gaṇeśaḥ): Gaṇeśa, lord of the gaṇas

• तु (tu): indeed

• रराज (rarāja): shone, blazed forth

• देव्या (devyā): of/for the Goddess (Śakti)

• जगद्रथः (jagad-rathaḥ): cosmic chariot / chariot of the world-order

• मेरुः (meruḥ): Mount Meru

• इव (iva): like

• अष्टशृङ्गैः (āṣṭa-śṛṅgaiḥ): with eight peaks

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Ganesha
• Shiva
• Devi (Shakti)
• Nandin
• Nandimukha
• Devas
• Ganas
• Tripura
• Mount Meru

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It highlights that Śiva’s triumph is never solitary: the gaṇa-retinue and Gaṇeśa stand as guardians of the sacred order around the Lord’s act. In Linga-worship, this maps to protecting the rite with purity, proper attendants (inner disciplines), and Śakti’s sanction—so the offering becomes a means for the paśu (soul) to approach Pati (Lord) beyond pāśa (bondage).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva-tattva is implied as sovereign cosmic governance: the Devas and gaṇas assemble around the divine act, indicating that all powers function as Śiva’s instruments. The mention of Devī as “jagad-ratha” underscores that Śiva’s will manifests through Śakti—consciousness (Pati) inseparable from power—by which cosmic order is restored.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to gaṇa-sevā and protective discipline around worship—an inner Pāśupata principle: stabilize the ‘retinue’ of the mind (restraint, devotion, mantra-support) so the act of worship becomes effective. It also reflects the śakti-supported approach to Śiva: worship is complete when devotion is aligned with Śakti and guarded by steadiness (like Meru).