Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21

दक्षयज्ञ-प्रसङ्गे देवतानां आश्वासनं तथा दण्डविधानम् | Consolation of the Devas and the Ordinance of Consequences in the Dakṣa-Yajña Episode

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । एवमुक्तश्शंकरेण वीरभद्रस्त्वरान्वितः । कबंधमानयित्वाग्रे तस्य शंभोरथाक्षिपत्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | evamuktaśśaṃkareṇa vīrabhadrastvarānvitaḥ | kabaṃdhamānayitvāgre tasya śaṃbhorathākṣipat

Translation

قال براهما: هكذا لمّا أُمِرَ من شانكرا، أسرع ڤيرابهادرا وقد امتلأ بالعَجَلة، فأتى بالجذعِ بلا رأس إلى الأمام ثم ألقاه بين يدي السيّد شامبهو.

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Kartā (कर्ता) of uvāca
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nom./1st), Ekavacana

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Prakāra-avya ya (adverb of manner)

• uktaḥ: addressed, spoken to
• uktaḥ: Kartā (logical subject) of subsequent action (vīrabhadraḥ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya (क्त), past passive participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom./1st), Ekavacana; ‘having been spoken to/ addressed’

• śaṃkareṇa: by Śaṅkara
• śaṃkareṇa: Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्ता-करण) in passive (agent instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana

• vīrabhadraḥ: Vīrabhadra
• vīrabhadraḥ: Kartā (कर्ता) of ānayitvā and akṣipat
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra + bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nom./1st), Ekavacana; proper name

• tvarā-anvitaḥ: endowed with haste
• tvarā-anvitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of vīrabhadraḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tvarā + anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nom./1st), Ekavacana; tṛtīyā-tatpuruṣa sense: tvarayā anvitaḥ ‘endowed with haste’

• kabaṃdham: a headless trunk/corpse
• kabaṃdham: Karma (कर्म) of ānayitvā
• Type: Noun
• Root: kabaṃdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā (Acc./2nd), Ekavacana

• ānayitvā: having brought
• ānayitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-nī (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (क्त्वा), Absolutive/Gerund; ‘having brought’

• agre: in front, before
• agre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (Neuter), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana; adverbial locative

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsakaliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen./6th), Ekavacana

• śaṃbhoḥ: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/6th), Ekavacana

• atha: then
• atha: Anukrama (sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (sequencing particle)

• akṣipat: threw, cast
• akṣipat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṣip (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/Past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Virabhadra
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It highlights disciplined surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Śiva’s will: Vīrabhadra acts swiftly as Śaṅkara’s instrument, showing that divine justice operates through obedient service to the Lord (Pati) who governs karma and order.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna Śiva (Śambhu/Śaṅkara) as the personal Lord who commands and guides events. Devotion to the Liṅga similarly trains the devotee to align actions with Śiva’s presence and authority, not merely with personal impulse.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is mindful obedience and quick inner correction: chant the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while offering bhasma (tripuṇḍra) or simple water to the Liṅga, resolving to act in harmony with dharma under Śiva’s guidance.