Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

बस्तश्मश्रुर्भवेदेव भृगुर्मम विरोध कृत् । देवाः प्रकृतिसर्वांगा ये म उच्छेदनं ददुः

Transliteration

bastaśmaśrurbhavedeva bhṛgurmama virodha kṛt | devāḥ prakṛtisarvāṃgā ye ma ucchedanaṃ daduḥ

Translation

„Möge Bhṛgu—der mir feindlich entgegenhandelte—wahrlich einen Ziegenbart und Ziegenbart‑Schnurrbart tragen. Und mögen jene Götter, deren Glieder an Prakṛti gebunden sind, die mir das ‚Abschneiden‘ (Ausschluss und Demütigung) gewährten, dem Verderben anheimfallen.“

Word by Word

• बस्त-श्मश्रुः: a goat’s beard
• बस्त-श्मश्रुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + श्मश्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘बस्तस्य श्मश्रु’

• भवेत्: may become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• भृगुः: Bhṛgu
• भृगुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• विरोध-कृत्: one who causes opposition
• विरोध-कृत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरोध (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु) → कृत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; क्विप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘विरोधं करोति’

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• प्रकृति-सर्व-अङ्गाः: having all limbs intact by nature
• प्रकृति-सर्व-अङ्गाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक) + सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘प्रकृत्या सर्वाणि अङ्गानि येषाम्’ (as qualifier of देवाः)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (relative pronoun)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (enclitic form)

• उच्छेदनम्: cutting off / mutilation
• उच्छेदनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्छेदन (प्रातिपदिक; उद्+छिद् धातु से भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ददुः: gave
• ददुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bhṛgu
• Devas

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva Siddhanta ethic that offense toward Shiva (Pati) and His devotees invites karmic consequence; worldly power (even of devas) remains limited when bound to Prakṛti, whereas alignment with Shiva leads toward grace and liberation.

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

The verse arises in the Daksha-yajña conflict where Shiva is dishonored; it reinforces Saguna Shiva as the living Lord who protects dharma and devotion, and why Linga-worship is upheld as honoring Shiva beyond ritual pride and social status.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to practice Shiva-bhakti with humility—daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), reverent Linga-pūjā, and wearing Tripuṇḍra/bhasma as a reminder to avoid ego-driven ritualism and offenses.