Shloka 12

दधीच-शाप-हेतु-वर्णनम् / The Cause of Dadhīca’s Curse

Explaining Viṣṇu’s Role at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

क्षुव उवाच । अष्टानां लोकपालानां वपुर्धारयते नृपः । तस्मान्नृपो वरिष्ठो हि वर्णाश्रमपतिः प्रभुः

Transliteration

kṣuva uvāca | aṣṭānāṃ lokapālānāṃ vapurdhārayate nṛpaḥ | tasmānnṛpo variṣṭho hi varṇāśramapatiḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

Kṣuva said: “The king embodies the powers of the eight guardians of the worlds. Therefore the king is indeed foremost—an authoritative lord who upholds and governs the order of varṇa and āśrama.”

Word by Word

• क्षुवः: Kṣuva (name)
• क्षुवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अष्टानाम्: of eight
• अष्टानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (सङ्ख्यावाचक) पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• लोकपालानाम्: of the guardians of the worlds
• लोकपालानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + पाल (प्रातिपदिक), तत्पुरुष-समास (लोकस्य पालः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वपुः: form, body
• वपुः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• धारयते: bears, assumes
• धारयते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), तस्मात् = ‘therefore/from that’ (तस्मात्-प्रयोगः)

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वरिष्ठः: the best, most excellent
• वरिष्ठः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘श्रेष्ठ’ इत्यर्थे)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) नृपस्य

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतु-प्रदर्शक

• वर्णाश्रमपतिः: lord of the varṇas and āśramas
• वर्णाश्रमपतिः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण + आश्रम + पति (प्रातिपदिक), षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास (वर्णानाम् आश्रमाणां च पतिः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रभुः: master, sovereign
• प्रभुः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Kṣuva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Lokapalas (Dikpalas)
• Nṛpa (King)

FAQs

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

It presents righteous kingship (rājadharma) as a sacred function: the king mirrors cosmic guardianship and must protect dharma, enabling society to pursue devotion, discipline, and liberation under Shiva’s order.

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

By affirming dharma as the framework for spiritual life, it indirectly supports Saguna Shiva worship (including Liṅga-pūjā): stable social order allows regular rituals, vows, and temple duties to flourish as offerings to Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is dharma-sādhana: maintain daily worship and vows with discipline—such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya")—while fulfilling one’s varṇa-āśrama duties as an offering to Shiva.