Shloka 21

स्वेच्छाविग्रहसंभव-प्रतिष्ठाफलवर्णनम् (विविधशिवमूर्तिप्रतिष्ठा, लोक-फल, शिवसायुज्य)

Devanagari script

नृत्यद्भिर् अप्सरःसंघैः सर्वतः सर्वशोभितैः गत्वा शिवपुरं दिव्यं गाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

nṛtyadbhir apsaraḥsaṃghaiḥ sarvataḥ sarvaśobhitaiḥ gatvā śivapuraṃ divyaṃ gāṇapatyamavāpnuyāt

Translation

四方皆以舞动的天女阿普萨罗之众庄严辉映，彼人前往湿婆的神圣之城，并得伽那（Gaṇa）之位——成为湿婆眷属之一。

Word by Word

• नृत्यद्भिः: by dancing

• अप्सरः-संघैः: by groups/hosts of Apsarās

• सर्वतः: on all sides

• सर्व-शोभितैः: with every kind of beauty/adornment

• गत्वा: having gone

• शिवपुरम्: to Śiva’s city (Śivapura)

• दिव्यम्: divine, celestial

• गाणपत्यम्: the state/office of being a Gaṇa (membership in Śiva’s attendants)

• अवाप्नुयात्: would attain, obtains.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the phala-śruti to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Apsaras
• Shiva’s Ganas

FAQs

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

It functions as a phala-śruti: the verse states that the fruit of Śiva-oriented worship culminates in reaching Śivapura and gaining gāṇapatya—intimate proximity to Pati (Śiva), beyond ordinary heavenly enjoyments.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati, the supreme Lord whose abode (Śivapura) is the final refuge for the bound pashu; attaining His gaṇa-status signifies nearness to Śiva-tattva through His grace rather than mere karma-born svarga.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse itself highlights the promised result (Śiva-loka and gāṇapatya); in the Adhyāya’s phala-śruti context, it points to steadfast Śiva-bhakti expressed through Liṅga-pūjā and allied Pāśupata-aligned observances that loosen pāśa (bondage).