Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

यज्ञं तथाविधं दृष्ट्वा समाहूय गणाधिपम् । वीरभद्रं महावीरमुवाच प्रहसन् प्रभुः

Transliteration

yajñaṃ tathāvidhaṃ dṛṣṭvā samāhūya gaṇādhipam | vīrabhadraṃ mahāvīramuvāca prahasan prabhuḥ

Translation

Als der Herr das Opfer so hergerichtet sah, rief er den Anführer seiner Gaṇas—Vīrabhadra, den großen Helden—zu sich und sprach ihn lächelnd an.

Word by Word

• yajñam: the sacrifice
• yajñam: Karma (कर्म) of dṛṣṭvā
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana

• tathā-vidham: of such a kind
• tathā-vidham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of yajñam
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tathā + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā (Acc./2nd), Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: tathā (thus) qualifying vidha (kind)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (क्त्वा), Absolutive/Gerund (त्वान्त), ‘having seen’

• samāhūya: having summoned
• samāhūya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-hū (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (क्त्वा), Absolutive/Gerund; ‘having summoned/called together’

• gaṇādhipam: the lord of the gaṇas
• gaṇādhipam: Karma (कर्म) of samāhūya
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā (Acc./2nd), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: gaṇānām adhipaḥ

• vīrabhadram: Vīrabhadra
• vīrabhadram: Karma (कर्म) of uvāca (addressed/mentioned)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra + bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā (Acc./2nd), Ekavacana; proper name; karmadhāraya sense ‘heroic-auspicious’

• mahā-vīram: great hero
• mahā-vīram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of vīrabhadram
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā (Acc./2nd), Ekavacana; karmadhāraya

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

• prahasan: smiling/laughing
• prahasan: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण) / Karta-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-has (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya (शतृ), Vartamāna-kṛdanta (present active participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom./1st), Ekavacana

• prabhuḥ: the Lord/master
• prabhuḥ: Kartā (कर्ता) of uvāca
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Virabhadra
• Ganas
• Daksha
• Yajna

FAQs

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

It shows Śiva as Pati (the supreme Lord) who oversees dharma and corrects ritualism when it becomes driven by ego; the smiling tone indicates divine sovereignty and effortless control over cosmic order.

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

The episode contrasts outward sacrifice with true reverence to Saguna Śiva; honoring Śiva (often through Liṅga-worship) is presented as superior to prideful ritual that excludes the Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate humility in worship—daily remembrance of Śiva with the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and offering with devotion—so ritual actions become Śiva-centered rather than ego-centered.