Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

सृष्टिक्रमवर्णनम् / Description of the Sequence of Creation

Devanagari script

कल्पभेदेन दक्षस्य षष्टिः कन्याः प्रकीर्तिताः । तासां दश च धर्माय शशिने सप्तविंशतिम्

Transliteration

kalpabhedena dakṣasya ṣaṣṭiḥ kanyāḥ prakīrtitāḥ | tāsāṃ daśa ca dharmāya śaśine saptaviṃśatim

Translation

Je nach Verschiedenheit der Kalpas (Schöpfungszyklen) heißt es, Dakṣa habe sechzig Töchter gehabt. Von ihnen gab er zehn Dharma und siebenundzwanzig dem Mond (Śaśin).

Word by Word

• कल्प-भेदेन: by (the) difference of kalpas
• कल्प-भेदेन: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण) एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कल्पस्य भेदः)

• दक्षस्य: of Dakṣa
• दक्षस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) एकवचन

• षष्टिः: sixty
• षष्टिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता) एकवचन; cardinal number ‘sixty’

• कन्याः: daughters
• कन्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता) बहुवचन

• प्रकीर्तिताः: were proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तिताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √कीर्त् (धातु) → प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त) कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन (कन्याः इति); passive sense ‘were proclaimed/mentioned’

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन; pronoun ‘of them’

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशन्/दश (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; here accusative sense implied with ellipsis (ददौ/दत्तवान्) in next verse-context; ‘ten’

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

• धर्माय: to Dharma
• धर्माय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) एकवचन; dative ‘to Dharma’

• शशिने: to the Moon
• शशिने: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) एकवचन; dative ‘to the Moon’

• सप्त-विṃशतिम्: twenty-seven
• सप्त-विṃशतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या) + विंशति (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (सप्त च विंशतिः = 27)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-bheda (variation across cosmic cycles)

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Dharma
• Chandra (Shashin)

FAQs

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

It frames worldly lineage and cosmic order as part of kalpa-based creation, reminding the seeker that all social and celestial arrangements arise within time-bound cycles—encouraging detachment and turning toward Śiva, the timeless Pati beyond kalpas.

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

By describing the structured cosmos (Dharma, Candra, and progeny), the verse highlights the Saguna administration of the universe; Linga-worship then becomes the Shaiva way to honor the source of that order—Śiva—while seeking the transcendent Nirguna reality behind it.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady one’s life in dharma and observe lunar time (tithi/nakṣatra) for vrata and japa—especially Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—aligning devotion with cosmic rhythms while aiming for liberation.