Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य शिवमायाविमोहिताः । यन्मखे देवयजनं चक्रुस्सर्वे सुरर्षयः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityākarṇya vacastasya śivamāyāvimohitāḥ | yanmakhe devayajanaṃ cakrussarve surarṣayaḥ

Translation

Brahmā said: Hearing those words, all the gods and divine seers—bewildered by Śiva’s māyā—performed the worship of the deities in that sacrifice.

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyopasaṃhāra (वाक्योपसंहार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभावः; ‘श्रुत्वा’ इत्यर्थः

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शिवमायाविमोहिताः: deluded by Śiva’s māyā
• शिवमायाविमोहिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + माया + विमोहित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः—शिवस्य मायया विमोहिताः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासभावः)

• यत्: in which
• यत्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत् (relative)

• मखे: in the sacrifice
• मखे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• देवयजनम्: worship/sacrifice to the gods
• देवयजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + यजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—देवानां यजनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• चक्रुः: did, performed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• सुरर्षयः: gods and sages
• सुरर्षयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (सुराः च ऋषयः च)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Devas
• Rishis

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that even exalted devas and seers can be veiled by Śiva’s māyā, showing Śiva as the supreme Lord (Pati) who governs awareness; ritual becomes fruitful only when aligned with Śiva’s higher will, not mere pride in sacrifice.

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

By stating that the assembly was ‘bewildered by Śiva’s māyā’ while engaging in deity-worship, the verse points to the need to recognize Śiva as the inner ruler of all gods; in Shaiva understanding, Linga/Saguna-Śiva worship integrates and transcends subsidiary deity-worship by centering devotion on Śiva as the source.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A takeaway is to perform yajna, pūjā, and japa with Śiva-centric remembrance—such as Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and offering worship with humility—so ritual is not driven by delusion or ego but by devotion and right understanding.