Shloka 17

दक्षयज्ञे मुनिदेवसमागमः / The Gathering of Sages and Gods at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि जुह्वति सह ऋत्विजः । उद्गातारश्चतुषष्टि सहस्राणि सुरर्षयः

Transliteration

aṣṭāśītisahasrāṇi juhvati saha ṛtvijaḥ | udgātāraścatuṣaṣṭi sahasrāṇi surarṣayaḥ

Translation

Along with the officiating priests, eighty-eight thousand offered oblations into the sacred fire; and sixty-four thousand divine seer-singers (udgātṛs) chanted in unison.

Word by Word

• अष्टा-शीतिः-सहस्राणि: eighty-eight thousand
• अष्टा-शीतिः-सहस्राणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + शीतिः (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन — neuter nominative plural; द्विगु-समास: ‘अष्टाशीतिः (88) सहस्राणि’ = 88,000

• जुह्वति: offer (oblations)
• जुह्वति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — present, active, 3rd person plural

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — preposition/adverb ‘together with’ (governs instrumental)

• ऋत्विजः: priests (ṛtviks)
• ऋत्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन — masculine nominative plural

• उद्गातारः: Udgātṛ priests (chanters)
• उद्गातारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्गातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन — masculine nominative plural

• चतुः-षष्टि: sixty-four
• चतुः-षष्टि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः — numeral ‘64’; here used as number qualifier of ‘सहस्राणि’

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन — neuter nominative plural

• सुर-ऋषयः: divine sages
• सुर-ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन — masculine nominative plural; कर्मधारय: ‘सुराश्च ते ऋषयः’ (divine sages)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Ritual Elements

Offering: null

FAQs

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

It emphasizes the vast outward scale of Vedic ritual—many priests, many chants—while, in the Shaiva view, such ritual becomes truly fruitful when oriented to Shiva as the supreme Lord (Pati), not merely to ritual performance.

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

The verse describes yajña activity (homa and Sāma chanting). In the Shiva Purana’s Shaiva framing, these Vedic acts reach completion when offered with devotion to Saguna Shiva—often centered through Linga-worship as the accessible, consecrated focus of surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The direct practice implied is disciplined homa with proper Vedic chanting; as a Shaiva takeaway, align any ritual with Shiva-bhakti—supporting it with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as the inner offering.