Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 31

वीरभद्रस्य गमनप्रस्थानम् — Vīrabhadra’s Departure for Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

निर्ययौ शतकोटीभिश्चतुर्वक्त्रो गणाधिपः । काष्ठागूढेश्चतुष्षष्ट्या सुकेशो वृषभस्तथा

Transliteration

niryayau śatakoṭībhiścaturvaktro gaṇādhipaḥ | kāṣṭhāgūḍheścatuṣṣaṣṭyā sukeśo vṛṣabhastathā

Translation

于是，众伽那之主出发——四面者（Caturvaktra）率领百俱胝随从；又有六十四位隐伏于诸方，苏克沙（Sukeśa）与弗利沙婆（Vṛṣabha）亦同往。

Word by Word

• niryayau: went forth
• niryayau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir + yā (या धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्; Perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• śata-koṭībhiḥ: with hundreds of crores (of followers)
• śata-koṭībhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सह/सहकारक; accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (शत) + koṭī (कोटि)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग; koṭī), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); dvigu ‘hundreds of crores’; denotes accompaniment

• catur-vaktraḥ: the four-faced one
• catur-vaktraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (चतुर्) + vaktra (वक्त्र)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: ‘yasya catvāri vaktrāṇi saḥ’

• gaṇa-adhipaḥ: lord of the gaṇas
• gaṇa-adhipaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (गण) + adhipa (अधिप)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘gaṇānām adhipaḥ’

• kāṣṭha-gūḍhaḥ: Kāṣṭhagūḍha (a named gaṇa)
• kāṣṭha-gūḍhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; listed entity)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṣṭha (काष्ठ) + gūḍha (गूढ)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘kāṣṭha-sadṛśaḥ gūḍhaḥ/guptaḥ’ (name/epithet)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• catuḥ-ṣaṣṭyā: with sixty-four (groups)
• catuḥ-ṣaṣṭyā: Sahakāraka (सह/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catuḥ (चतुः) + ṣaṣṭi (षष्टि)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग; ṣaṣṭi), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); dvigu numeral ‘sixty-four’; denotes accompaniment/measure

• su-keśaḥ: Sukeśa (one with fine hair)
• su-keśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; listed entity)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (सु उपसर्ग/उपपद) + keśa (केश)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: ‘yasya sundarāḥ keśāḥ saḥ’

• vṛṣabhaḥ: Vṛṣabha (Bull; name)
• vṛṣabhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; listed entity)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha (वृषभ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tathā: also
• tathā: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (तथा अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) / connective

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganas
• Caturvaktra
• Sukesha
• Vrishabha

FAQs

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

It highlights the irresistible, organized power of Shiva’s divine retinue: when Pati (Shiva) wills, his gaṇas move in vast numbers and in strategic order, symbolizing that divine grace and protection operate both openly and subtly across all directions.

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

The verse supports Saguna devotion by portraying Shiva’s personal sovereignty expressed through his attendants. In Linga-worship, the devotee honors not only the formless Absolute indicated by the Linga, but also Shiva’s manifest governance that upholds cosmic order through his gaṇas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is disciplined remembrance (japa) of the Panchākṣarī—Om Namaḥ Śivāya—while cultivating alertness in all ‘directions’ of the mind, mirroring the verse’s imagery of guardianship in the quarters (kāṣṭhāgūḍha).