Shloka 20

Devanagari script

दक्ष उवाच । भवद्बलेनैव मया यज्ञः प्रारंभितो महान् । सत्कर्मसिद्धये विष्णो प्रमाणं त्वं महाप्रभो

Transliteration

dakṣa uvāca | bhavadbalenaiva mayā yajñaḥ prāraṃbhito mahān | satkarmasiddhaye viṣṇo pramāṇaṃ tvaṃ mahāprabho

Translation

Dakṣa said: “Only by Your power have I begun this great sacrifice. O Viṣṇu, O great Lord, for the successful completion of this righteous rite, You are the authoritative sanction and the sure support.”

Word by Word

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: √वच् (to speak)

• भवत्-बलेन: by your power
• भवत्-बलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भवतः बलम् = भवद्बलम्

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed/only)

• मया: by me / I
• मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यज्ञः: the sacrifice
• यज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रारम्भितः: has been begun
• प्रारम्भितः: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातु: √रभ् (to begin) उपसर्ग: प्र-

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (यज्ञस्य)

• सत्-कर्म-सिद्धये: for the accomplishment of good rites/deeds
• सत्-कर्म-सिद्धये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन), एकवचन; समास: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: सत्कर्म = सत् कर्म; सत्कर्मसिद्धि = सत्कर्मणः सिद्धिः

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (vocative), एकवचन

• प्रमाणम्: authority/standard
• प्रमाणम्: Vidhaya (विधेय/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र विधेय-नाम (predicate nominative): ‘प्रमाणं त्वम्’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महाप्रभो: O great lord
• महाप्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: महा + प्रभुः

Speaker

Daksha

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that even grand Vedic rites succeed only through divine śakti (power) and grace; ritual (karma) must be grounded in humility and recognition of the Supreme’s sanction, not merely personal pride or status.

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

In the Satīkhaṇḍa narrative, Dakṣa’s emphasis on ritual authority foreshadows the Shaiva teaching that worship of the Lord (Pati)—often through Saguna forms like the Liṅga—cannot be replaced by ritualism alone; devotion and right recognition of the Lord are essential for true siddhi.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to begin any pūjā or yajña with surrender and prayer for divine approval—invoking the Lord’s grace—rather than relying only on external correctness; a bhakti-oriented sankalpa and remembrance of the Lord’s name is implied.