Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 12

दक्षस्य दुहितृविवाहवर्णनम् / The Marriages of Dakṣa’s Daughters

Genealogical Allocation

Devanagari script

सन्तुष्टा सा तदा देवी विचारं मनसीति च । चक्रेऽवतारं वीरिण्यां कुर्यां पणविपूर्तये

Transliteration

santuṣṭā sā tadā devī vicāraṃ manasīti ca | cakre'vatāraṃ vīriṇyāṃ kuryāṃ paṇavipūrtaye

Translation

Da war die Göttin völlig zufrieden; sie erwog es in ihrem Herzen und beschloss, in einer heldenhaften Linie zu inkarnieren, um den vorherbestimmten göttlichen Zweck zu erfüllen.

Word by Word

• सन्तुष्टा: satisfied
• सन्तुष्टा: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्तुष्ट (कृदन्त; √तुष् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘satisfied’

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विचारम्: a thought/consideration
• विचारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• मनसि: in (her) mind
• मनसि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

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

• चक्रे: she made/undertook
• चक्रे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अवतारम्: an incarnation/descent
• अवतारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वीरिण्याम्: in Vīriṇī
• वीरिण्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• कुर्याम्: (that) I should do/make
• कुर्याम्: Kriyā (क्रिया; intention/resolve)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पणविपूर्तये: for the fulfillment of the drum (sound)
• पणविपूर्तये: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान; purpose/for)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पणव + पूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; ‘पणवस्य पूर्तिः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: avatāra-saṅkalpa (descent for ordained purpose)

Characters & Entities

• Sati
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It highlights Śakti’s conscious, purposeful descent: the Divine does not act out of compulsion but out of compassionate resolve to fulfil the ordained cosmic aim, supporting dharma and the unfolding of Śiva–Śakti līlā.

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

By showing Śakti taking form for a divine purpose, the verse supports Saguna devotion: devotees approach Śiva through manifest forms and sacred narratives, which prepare the mind for steadiness and, ultimately, for realizing the transcendent (Nirguṇa) truth behind the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The key takeaway is inner saṅkalpa (sacred resolve): practice daily japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a focused intention, aligning one’s will with dharma and Śiva’s grace.