Shloka 19

प्रयागे महत्समाजः — शिवदर्शनं दक्षागमनं च

The Great Assembly at Prayāga: Śiva’s Appearance and Dakṣa’s Arrival

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इति दक्षोक्तमाकर्ण्य भृग्वाद्या बहवो जनाः । अगर्हयन् दुष्टसत्त्वं रुद्रं मत्त्वामरैस्समम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | iti dakṣoktamākarṇya bhṛgvādyā bahavo janāḥ | agarhayan duṣṭasattvaṃ rudraṃ mattvāmaraissamam

Translation

Brahmā said: Hearing Dakṣa’s words thus, many people—beginning with Bhṛgu—reviled Rudra, deeming Him wicked in nature and regarding Him as merely equal to the other devas.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative/thus)

• दक्ष-उक्तम्: what was said by Dakṣa
• दक्ष-उक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त; वच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त ‘उक्त’; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दक्षेण उक्तम्)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कर्ण्/श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) ‘having heard’

• भृगु-आद्याः: (those) beginning with Bhṛgu
• भृगु-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘आद्य’ = beginning with; तत्पुरुष (भृगुः आदिः येषाम्)

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• अगर्हयन्: they censured
• अगर्हयन्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग ‘अ’ (augment)

• दुष्ट-सत्त्वम्: the wicked-natured one / wicked being
• दुष्ट-सत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (दुष्टं सत्त्वम्)

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund) ‘having thought/considered’

• अमरैः: with the immortals (gods)
• अमरैः: Upamana-sambandha (उपमान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• समम्: equal(ly)
• समम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोग (adverbial accusative) ‘equally’

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Daksha
• Bhrigu
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Devas

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how collective opinion can follow ego-driven speech and fall into Śiva-aparādha (offense to Shiva). In a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, mistaking Rudra’s supreme nature (Pati) and judging Him through ordinary moral labels blocks devotion and right knowledge, which are essential for liberation.

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

By describing Rudra as ‘merely equal to the devas,’ the verse shows the error of reducing Shiva to a limited rank. Linga and Saguna-Śiva worship trains the mind to recognize Shiva as the supreme Lord who pervades and transcends the gods, making devotion steady and free from contempt or comparison.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is to avoid Shiva-nindā (disparagement) and cultivate reverence through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” along with simple Shaiva observances like applying vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and offering water to the Shiva-linga with a prayer for humility and right understanding.