Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

शिवतत्त्वे परापरभावविचारः

Inquiry into Śiva’s Principle and the Parā–Aparā Paradox

Devanagari script

देवस्त्रीषु च देवेषु दक्षस्याध्वरकारणात् । वीरेण वीरभद्रेण न हि कश्चिददण्डितः

Transliteration

devastrīṣu ca deveṣu dakṣasyādhvarakāraṇāt | vīreṇa vīrabhadreṇa na hi kaścidadaṇḍitaḥ

Translation

Wegen des Opfermahls des Dakṣa blieb unter den himmlischen Frauen wie auch unter den Göttern niemand ungestraft durch den Helden Vīrabhadra.

Word by Word

• देवस्त्रीषु: among the wives of the gods
• देवस्त्रीषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवस्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः—देवस्य स्त्री (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• देवेषु: among the gods
• देवेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• दक्षस्य: of Dakṣa
• दक्षस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अध्वरकारणात्: because of the sacrifice-cause (i.e., due to the sacrifice)
• अध्वरकारणात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वर + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—अध्वरस्य कारणम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• वीरेण: by the hero
• वीरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वीरभद्रेण: by Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—वीरः स भद्रः (कर्मधारयः)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• कश्चित्: anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• अदण्डितः: unpunished
• अदण्डितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दण्ड् (धातु)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक क्त (PPP) ‘दण्डित’ → ‘अदण्डित’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Alludes to the Dakṣa-yajña episode where Śiva’s wrath manifests as Vīrabhadra to chastise devas for adharmic exclusion of Śiva and Satī; not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga in this verse.

Significance: Didactic: warns that ritual (yajña) without Śiva-bhakti and humility leads to downfall; reinforces Śiva as supreme arbiter over devas.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Virabhadra
• Daksha

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that sacrificial pride and disrespect toward Pati (Lord Shiva) inevitably bring correction: Vīrabhadra’s punishment symbolizes Shiva’s governance of karma, breaking the bondage of ego (pāśa) that misleads the soul (paśu).

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

Vīrabhadra acts as Shiva’s manifest (saguṇa) power enforcing dharma; it reinforces that ritual (yajña) is incomplete without devotion to Shiva, whose presence is honored in Linga-worship as the rightful center of all sacred acts.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to perform worship with humility—daily Panchakshara japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) remembrance to dissolve ritual-ego and align the mind with Shiva’s dharma.