Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

दक्षमानय शीघ्रं त्वं येनेदं कृतमीदृशम् । यज्ञो विलक्षणस्तात यस्येदं फलमीदृशम्

Transliteration

dakṣamānaya śīghraṃ tvaṃ yenedaṃ kṛtamīdṛśam | yajño vilakṣaṇastāta yasyedaṃ phalamīdṛśam

Translation

„Bring Dakṣa schnell hierher—du, durch den dies so geschehen ist. Dieses Opfer ist wahrlich außergewöhnlich, mein Kind, da sein Ergebnis so geworden ist.“

Word by Word

• dakṣam: Dakṣa
• dakṣam: Karma (कर्म) of ānaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; proper name

• ānaya: bring
• ānaya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-nī (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (Imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• śīghram: quickly
• śīghram: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghram (अव्यय)
• Form: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa-avya ya (adverb)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Kartā (कर्ता) of ānaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana

• yena: by whom/whereby
• yena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु) (by whom/whereby)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsakaliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣya (reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• kṛtam: has been done
• kṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया) (passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya (क्त), past passive participle, Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with idam (implied ‘kāryam’)

• īdṛśam: such, of this sort
• īdṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of idam/kṛtam
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (Neuter), Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• yajñaḥ: the sacrifice
• yajñaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता) / topic of description
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nom./1st), Ekavacana

• vilakṣaṇaḥ: extraordinary, peculiar
• vilakṣaṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of yajñaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nom./1st), Ekavacana

• tāta: O dear one
• tāta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsakaliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/6th), Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣya (reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• phalam: result, fruit
• phalam: Kartā (logical subject) / predicate nominal with īdṛśam
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• īdṛśam: such
• īdṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of phalam
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

Speaker

Sati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Daksha

FAQs

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

It highlights that ritual power (yajña) is not supreme by itself; when driven by pride or hostility toward Shiva and dharma, the “fruit” of the rite becomes distorted. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, outer karma without right devotion and humility cannot yield auspicious spiritual results.

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

The Sati–Daksha narrative repeatedly stresses that honoring Saguna Shiva (the Lord approached through worship, mantra, and reverence) is essential; yajña that excludes or insults Shiva becomes spiritually barren. The verse foreshadows the collapse of ritualism when it is cut off from Shiva-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is not a new rite but a correction of attitude: perform worship and rituals with humility and Shiva-centered devotion—supported by Shiva’s names/mantra-japa (such as the Panchakshara) rather than mere display of sacrificial prestige.