Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 33

सतीसंक्षेपचरित्रवर्णनम् — Summary Description of Satī’s Narrative

Devanagari script

विष्णुं संजित्य यत्नेन सामरं गणसत्तमः । चक्रे दक्षशिरश्छेदं तच्छिरोग्नौ जुहाव च

Transliteration

viṣṇuṃ saṃjitya yatnena sāmaraṃ gaṇasattamaḥ | cakre dakṣaśiraśchedaṃ tacchirognau juhāva ca

Translation

ثم إنّ أكرم غانات شيفا، بعد أن جاهد وغلب فيشنو مع جنده في القتال، قطع رأس دكشا (Dakṣa)؛ ثم ألقاه قربانًا في النار المقدّسة.

Word by Word

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• संजित्य: having conquered
• संजित्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + जि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) = having conquered

• यत्नेन: with effort
• यत्नेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• स-आमरम्: together with the gods
• स-आमरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग-सदृश; सहार्थक) + आमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (सह अमरैः = together with the gods)

• गणसत्तमः: the best of the gaṇas
• गणसत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गणानां सत्तमः = best among the gaṇas)

• चक्रे: did/made
• चक्रे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• दक्ष-शिरः-छेदम्: the severing of Dakṣa’s head
• दक्ष-शिरः-छेदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + छेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दक्षस्य शिरसः छेदः = cutting of Dakṣa’s head)

• तत्-शिरः: that head
• तत्-शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शिरस्—नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘तत्’ इति सर्वनाम-विशेषण (नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन)

• अग्नौ: in the fire
• अग्नौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• जुहाव: offered (as oblation)
• जुहाव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shiva
• Ganas
• Daksha
• Agni (sacrificial fire)

FAQs

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

It portrays the downfall of sacrificial pride (ahaṅkāra) embodied by Dakṣa: when devotion is excluded and Śiva is dishonored, ritual becomes hollow, and the consequence is the destruction of ego-centric dharma.

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

The gaṇas act as the palpable force of Saguna Śiva—Śiva’s personal, responsive divinity—showing that honoring Śiva (often through Liṅga-worship) is central; neglect of Śiva in yajña leads to spiritual failure despite outward ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is purification of intention: perform worship with humility—offer bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and repeat the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to dissolve pride and align ritual with devotion.