Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

गिलासुर-आक्रमणम् तथा शिवसैन्य-समाह्वानम् — The Assault of Gila and Śiva’s Mobilization

Devanagari script

उष्ट्रैः खरैः पक्षिवरैश्च सिंहैस्ते सर्वदेवाः सहभूतसंघैः । व्याघ्रैमृगैस्सूकरसारसैश्च समीनमत्स्यैश्शिशुमारमुख्यैः

Transliteration

uṣṭraiḥ kharaiḥ pakṣivaraiśca siṃhaiste sarvadevāḥ sahabhūtasaṃghaiḥ | vyāghraimṛgaissūkarasārasaiśca samīnamatsyaiśśiśumāramukhyaiḥ

Translation

诸天众神与其诸类众生之众同来，随行有骆驼、驴、珍贵的群鸟与狮子；又有虎、鹿、野猪、鹤，以及如鱼群般的水族大队，其中以尸舒摩罗（śiśumāra，海豚等）之类为首。

Word by Word

• उष्ट्रैः: with camels
• उष्ट्रैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• खरैः: with donkeys
• खरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• पक्षि-वरैः: with the best of birds
• पक्षि-वरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: पक्षिणां वराः (best of birds)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सिंहैः: with lions
• सिंहैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्व-देवाः: all the gods
• सर्व-देवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: सर्वे देवाः

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (सहकारक/Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहकारक-अव्यय (indeclinable meaning ‘with’)

• भूत-संघैः: with groups of beings
• भूत-संघैः: Sahakaraka (सहकारक/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + संघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: भूतानां संघाः (groups of beings)

• व्याघ्रैः: with tigers
• व्याघ्रैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• मृगैः: with deer
• मृगैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सूकर-सारसैः: with boars and cranes
• सूकर-सारसैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूकर (प्रातिपदिक) + सारस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व: सूकराः च सारसाः च

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• स-मीना-मत्स्यैः: with fishes (mīna and matsya)
• स-मीना-मत्स्यैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (अव्यय) + मीन (प्रातिपदिक) + मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व: मीनाः च मत्स्याः च; ‘स-’ = सहित (with)

• शिशुमार-मुख्यैः: with those headed by śiśumāras (dolphins/crocodilians)
• शिशुमार-मुख्यैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशुमार (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: शिशुमारः मुख्यः येषां ते (those whose chief are dolphins/crocodilians)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Characters & Entities

• Sarvadevāḥ (all the gods)
• Bhūtasaṃghāḥ (hosts of beings)

FAQs

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

It portrays the cosmos rallying in ordered harmony—gods, creatures, birds, and aquatic beings—suggesting that under Śiva’s lordship (Pati), all categories of life (paśu) are gathered and directed, even amid conflict, toward the restoration of dharma.

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

By depicting Śiva’s domain as encompassing every class of being, it supports Saguna Śiva devotion: the Liṅga represents the all-pervading Lord who contains and governs the entire manifested world, from devas to animals and water-creatures.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Bhūtanātha (Lord of all beings) while chanting the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and offer bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) or bilva in remembrance that all life-forms are included in Śiva’s protection and grace.