Shloka 47

Śatarudrīya-prabhāva and Rudra’s Supremacy (शतरुद्रीयप्रभावः)

Devanagari script

दक्षिणं च मुखं रौद्रं केनोर्ध्धव कपिला जटा: । केन कण्ठश्न ते नीलो बर्हिब्हनिभ: कृत:

Transliteration

dakṣiṇaṃ ca mukhaṃ raudraṃ kenordhvaṃ kapilā jaṭāḥ | kena kaṇṭhas te nīlo barhibhā-nibhaḥ kṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Maheshvara sprach: „Warum ist dein südliches Antlitz so wild und furchtbar? Durch welche Ursache sind deine verfilzten Locken (jata) oben von kapila—gelblich-brauner—Farbe? Und aus welchem Grund ist deine Kehle blau geworden, wie der Schimmer einer Pfauenfeder?“

Word by Word

• दक्षिणम्: southern
• दक्षिणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मुखम्: face, mouth
• मुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रौद्रम्: terrible, fierce
• रौद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• केन: by what? because of what?
• केन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ऊर्ध्वम्: upwards, aloft
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व

• कपिलाः: tawny, brownish
• कपिलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपिल
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• जटाः: matted locks
• जटाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• केन: by what? because of what?
• केन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• कण्ठः: throat, neck
• कण्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: your (of you)
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• नीलः: blue
• नीलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बर्हि-भ-निभः: resembling peacock-feather (lit. like a peacock’s plume)
• बर्हि-भ-निभः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बर्हि/भ/निभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतः: made, become
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī-Maheśvara (Śiva)
• the southern face (dakṣiṇa-mukha)
• jaṭā (matted locks)
• blue throat (nīla-kaṇṭha)
• peacock feather (barhin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a reverent inquiry into the ethical and theological meaning behind divine forms: even fearsome aspects and unusual marks (fierce face, tawny matted hair, blue throat) are not arbitrary but arise from purposeful causes, inviting reflection on how divinity encompasses both auspiciousness and awe.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s discourse, Maheśvara asks about distinctive features associated with Śiva—his terrifying southern aspect, tawny jaṭā, and blue throat—setting up an explanatory account of their origins and significance.