Shloka 17

दक्षस्य प्रजावृद्ध्युपायः — Dakṣa’s Means for Increasing Progeny

Devanagari script

अदृष्ट्वा तं भुवस्सृष्टि कथं कर्तुं समुद्यताः । हर्यश्वा दक्षतनया इत्यवोचस्तमादरात्

Transliteration

adṛṣṭvā taṃ bhuvassṛṣṭi kathaṃ kartuṃ samudyatāḥ | haryaśvā dakṣatanayā ityavocastamādarāt

Translation

Without beholding Him (the Supreme Lord, Śiva), how could you be ready to undertake the creation of the worlds?—Thus the Haryaśvas, the sons of Dakṣa, respectfully spoke to him.

Word by Word

• a-dṛṣṭvā: having not seen
• a-dṛṣṭvā: Kāraṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + naṅ (नञ्-उपसर्ग/निषेध)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), from √dṛś with negation a-; ‘having not seen’ (अदृष्ट्वा)

• tam: him/that one
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhuvaḥ: of the world
• bhuvaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuvan / bhu (भुवन/भू-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; used as qualifier ‘of the world/earth’

• sṛṣṭim: creation
• sṛṣṭim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• katham: how?
• katham: Prashna/Avyaya (प्रश्न/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्न-अव्यय)

• kartum: to do, to create
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), ‘to do/make’

• samudyatāḥ: ready, intent
• samudyatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-√yam (धातु) → udyata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kṛdanta past participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘having risen/ready/intent’

• haryaśvāḥ: the Haryaśvas
• haryaśvāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haryaśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• dakṣa-tanayāḥ: daughters of Dakṣa
• dakṣa-tanayāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + tanayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘Dakṣa’s daughters’; Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-marker (वाक्यार्थ-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात) marking reported speech

• avocat: said
• avocat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ādarāt: from respect, respectfully
• ādarāt: Hetu (हेतु/पञ्चमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; adverbial sense ‘out of respect’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the dialogue of the Haryaśvas to Dakṣa)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Daksha
• Haryaśvas

FAQs

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

It teaches that all action—especially cosmic or worldly “creation”—must be rooted in Śiva-darśana (turning the mind toward the Supreme Pati). Without recognizing the Lord as the inner support and guide, activity becomes spiritually barren and cannot lead to true fulfillment.

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

“Beholding Him” can be understood as seeking Śiva through Saguna upāsanā—such as Linga worship—so that one’s duties align with divine order. The Linga becomes a concrete focus for darśana, devotion, and right intention before engaging in major undertakings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin important works with Śiva-smaraṇa: mentally bow to Śiva, recite the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and, where appropriate, perform simple Linga-pūjā with bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and a calm, inwardly surrendered mind.