Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 58
व्योमवाणी-श्रवणं, गणानां शरणागमनं, सती-दाह-वृत्तान्तः — Hearing the Heavenly Voice; The Gaṇas Seek Refuge; Account of Satī’s Self-Immolation
दक्षादीन्सकलांस्तत्र सपत्नीकान्सबांधवान् । प्रज्वाल्य वीर दक्षं नु सलीलं सलिलं पिब
dakṣādīnsakalāṃstatra sapatnīkānsabāṃdhavān | prajvālya vīra dakṣaṃ nu salīlaṃ salilaṃ piba
O Held, nachdem du dort das Feuer der Vernichtung entfacht hast, verbrenne Dakṣa und alle anderen — samt ihren Frauen und Verwandten. Dann trinke spielerisch das Wasser, als wolltest du dich kühlen.
Lord Shiva (commanding Vīrabhadra in the Daksha-yajña narrative)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra
Sthala Purana: Dakṣa-yajña: the command targets Dakṣa (the ritualist-pride archetype) and his entire network; ‘drink water playfully’ underscores Śiva’s effortless supremacy—destruction is līlā, not compulsion.
Significance: Contemplative takeaway: for the liberated Lord, saṃhāra is as effortless as quenching heat; devotees cultivate śaraṇāgati (refuge) rather than egoic ritualism.
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: destructive
FAQs
It portrays Shiva’s fierce compassion: when dharma is violated by pride and contempt for the divine, Shiva’s śakti acts through Vīrabhadra to dismantle the egoic structure; destruction becomes purification, restoring cosmic order.
The verse highlights Saguna Shiva as the active Lord who protects dharma through both grace and severity. Devotion to the Linga is devotion to that same Shiva who corrects adharma and burns inner impurity (mala) as well as outer wrongdoing.
As a takeaway, meditate on Shiva’s ugra form to burn inner arrogance, then cool the mind with japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a sattvic discipline such as applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) with humility and self-restraint.