Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

दक्षस्य रुद्रनिन्दा-निमित्तकथनम् / The Cause of Dakṣa’s Censure of Rudra

Devanagari script

तप्तजांबूनदप्रख्यं चित्ररत्नपरिष्कृतम् । मुक्तामयवितानाग्न्यं स्रग्दामसमलंकृतम्

Transliteration

taptajāṃbūnadaprakhyaṃ citraratnapariṣkṛtam | muktāmayavitānāgnyaṃ sragdāmasamalaṃkṛtam

Translation

Sie leuchtete wie erhitztes Jāmbūnada-Gold, kunstvoll geschmückt mit mannigfachen Edelsteinen; ein Perlenbaldachin verlieh ihr Glanz, und Girlanden wie Ziergehänge schmückten sie—ein glückverheißendes, strahlendes Gepräge, würdig der heiligen Gegenwart des Herrn.

Word by Word

• तप्त-जाम्बूनद-प्रख्यम्: shining like heated Jāmbūnada-gold
• तप्त-जाम्बूनद-प्रख्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tapta (कृदन्त; √tap (धातु) क्त) + jāmbūnada (प्रातिपदिक) + prakhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमान/सादृश्य: ‘तप्तजाम्बूनदवत् प्रख्यम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of विमानम्)

• चित्र-रत्न-परिष्कृतम्: adorned/embellished with variegated gems
• चित्र-रत्न-परिष्कृतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक) + ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + pariṣkṛta (कृदन्त; pari-√kṛ (धातु) क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; भूतकृदन्त/क्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मुक्ता-मय-वितान-अग्न्यम्: having an excellent canopy made of pearls
• मुक्ता-मय-वितान-अग्न्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muktā (प्रातिपदिक) + mayaṭ (मय-प्रत्यय; ‘made of’) + vitāna (प्रातिपदिक) + agnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘मुक्तामय’ (made of pearls) + ‘वितान’ (canopy) + ‘अग्न्य’ (excellent/superior); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्रक्-दाम-समलंकृतम्: fully adorned with garlands and wreath-strings
• स्रक्-दाम-समलंकृतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sraj (प्रातिपदिक) + dāman (प्रातिपदिक) + samalaṃkṛta (कृदन्त; sam-alaṃ-√kṛ (धातु) क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; भूतकृदन्त/क्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The vimāna’s golden radiance, gem-inlay, pearl canopy, and garlands signify divine auspiciousness (maṅgala) accompanying the unfolding of the Dakṣa-yajña episode; splendor contrasts with the inner impurity of Dakṣa’s malice.

Significance: Encourages devotees to value inner purity over outer opulence: divine beauty is a sign of grace, but ritual grandeur without Śiva is hollow.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how sacred beauty—golden radiance, gems, pearls, and garlands—functions as an outward expression of inward bhakti, preparing the mind to rest in Shiva as Pati (the Lord) through reverent contemplation.

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

Such descriptions support Saguna-upāsanā: devotees approach Shiva with form, splendor, and auspicious adornment, which steadies attention and devotion and culminates in deeper awareness of Shiva’s transcendent reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offerings of flowers and garlands (puṣpa-mālā), maintaining a clean, radiant shrine space, and meditating on Shiva’s auspicious presence while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” are the practical takeaways.