Shloka 34

दक्षस्य प्रजावृद्ध्युपायः — Dakṣa’s Means for Increasing Progeny

Devanagari script

दक्ष उवाच । किं कृतं तेऽधमश्रेष्ठ साधूनां साधुलिंगतः । भिक्षोमार्गोऽर्भकानां वै दर्शितस्साधुकारि नो

Transliteration

dakṣa uvāca | kiṃ kṛtaṃ te'dhamaśreṣṭha sādhūnāṃ sādhuliṃgataḥ | bhikṣomārgo'rbhakānāṃ vai darśitassādhukāri no

Translation

Dakṣa said: “O lowest yet foremost (among offenders), what have you done—taking on the outward marks of holy men? You have shown our young ones the path of begging, though you pose as a doer of righteousness.”

Word by Word

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular (1st/प्रथमा)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, 3rd person, Singular

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Neuter, Accusative singular (2nd/द्वितीया)

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle/कृदन्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative singular (1st/2nd)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Dative singular (4th/चतुर्थी) or Genitive singular (6th/षष्ठी); here Dative (to you) with कृतम्

• अधमश्रेष्ठ: O best of the vile (sarcastic)
• अधमश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधम + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative singular (8th/सम्बोधन); ironic address; components: अधम (lowest) + श्रेष्ठ (best)

• साधूनाम्: of the good/saints
• साधूनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive plural (6th/षष्ठी)

• साधुलिङ्गतः: from the guise of a holy man
• साधुलिङ्गतः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative singular (5th/पञ्चमी); compound: साधोः लिङ्गम् (mark/guise of a holy man) + तः (ablative ending)

• भिक्षोमार्गः: the path/practice of a mendicant
• भिक्षोमार्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षु + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular (1st/प्रथमा); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भिक्षोः मार्गः

• अर्भकानाम्: of children
• अर्भकानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्भक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive plural (6th/षष्ठी)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphatic/assertive

• दर्शितः: shown
• दर्शितः: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative singular (1st/प्रथमा)

• साधुकारि: O doer of 'good' (ironically)
• साधुकारि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative singular (8th/सम्बोधन); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: साधुं करोति इति साधुकारिन्

• नः: of us/our
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive plural (6th/षष्ठी)

Speaker

Daksha

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Bhikṣāṭana

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse belongs to Dakṣa’s polemic against Śiva’s ascetic/antinomian appearance (Bhikṣāṭana motif), criticizing the social impact of renunciation on householders.

Characters & Entities

• Daksha

FAQs

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

It highlights a common error: judging spirituality by external marks. From a Shaiva perspective, true dharma is inner devotion and purity oriented to Pati (Shiva), not mere imitation of a sadhu’s appearance.

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

Daksha’s complaint about “sādhu-liṅga” contrasts outer signs with the deeper Shaiva principle: the Linga symbolizes the inner reality of Shiva. Genuine Saguna worship and Linga-upasana require humility and surrender, not social posturing.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to prioritize sincere japa and worship (e.g., Panchakshara mantra—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with ethical discipline, rather than adopting ascetic externals without inner transformation.