Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 43
दक्षस्य रुद्रनिन्दा-निमित्तकथनम् / The Cause of Dakṣa’s Censure of Rudra
तासां तु ये च भर्तारस्ते मे बहुमता मुदा । गुनैश्चाप्यधिकास्सर्वैर्भर्तुस्ते त्र्यंबकादपि
tāsāṃ tu ye ca bhartāraste me bahumatā mudā | gunaiścāpyadhikāssarvairbhartuste tryaṃbakādapi
Doch ihre Gatten achte ich voller Freude überaus hoch; ja, an allen Tugenden sind sie sogar ihrem eigenen Gemahl überlegen — Tryambaka (Herr Śiva).
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Tryambaka
Sthala Purana: Dakṣa’s claim that other husbands surpass Tryambaka is a narrative intensification of śiva-nindā that culminates in the yajña’s ruin; not tied to a specific jyotirliṅga site in this verse.
Significance: Serves as a cautionary exemplar: comparing worldly ‘guṇa’ to Śiva’s transcendence is category-error; devotion requires recognizing Śiva as nirguṇa-īśvara beyond social metrics.
Shakti Form: Satī
Role: liberating
FAQs
The verse highlights a key Shaiva teaching: Śiva, the supreme Pati, delights in honoring devotion and virtue—so much that exalted devotees may be praised as ‘greater’ in qualities, emphasizing humility and the supremacy of bhakti over status.
By naming Śiva as Tryambaka, the verse points to Saguna Śiva—approachable through Linga worship—where the Lord responds to devotion and moral excellence, affirming the personal, grace-bestowing aspect central to temple and Linga upāsanā.
Cultivate devotion with humility while performing Śiva-upāsanā—daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and mindful worship of Tryambaka, offering actions and virtues as worship.