Shloka 34

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

Explaining Viṣṇu’s Role at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

हस्तांभोजयुगस्थकुंभयुगलादुद्धृत्यतोयं शिरस्सिंचंतं करयोर्युगेन दधतं स्वांकेभकुंभौ करौ । अक्षस्रङ्मृगहस्तमंबुजगतं मूर्द्धस्थचन्द्रस्रवत्पीयूषार्द्रतनुं भजे सगिरिजं त्र्यक्षं च मृत्युंजयम्

Transliteration

hastāṃbhojayugasthakuṃbhayugalāduddhṛtyatoyaṃ śirassiṃcaṃtaṃ karayoryugena dadhataṃ svāṃkebhakuṃbhau karau | akṣasraṅmṛgahastamaṃbujagataṃ mūrddhasthacandrasravatpīyūṣārdratanuṃ bhaje sagirijaṃ tryakṣaṃ ca mṛtyuṃjayam

Translation

I adore Mṛtyuñjaya, the three‑eyed Lord Śiva, together with Girijā: with lotus-like hands he lifts two water-pots and pours the water upon his own head; with another pair he holds the pots resting upon his lap; bearing a rosary and a garland and holding a deer, he is seated upon the lotus, his body moistened by the nectar that streams from the moon upon his head.

Word by Word

• हस्त-अम्भोज-युग-स्थ-कुम्भ-युगलात्: from the pair of pots placed in the pair of lotus-hands
• हस्त-अम्भोज-युग-स्थ-कुम्भ-युगलात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भोज (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + युगल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (…युगस्थं कुम्भयुगलं)

• उद्धृत्य: having lifted/drawn up
• उद्धृत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्-हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सिञ्चन्तम्: sprinkling/pouring
• सिञ्चन्तम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिच् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तम्/शिवम्)

• करयोः: of (his) two hands
• करयोः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन

• युगेन: with the pair
• युगेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दधतम्: holding
• दधतम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• स्व-अङ्केभ-कुम्भौ: the two pots (like) his own elephants’ temples
• स्व-अङ्केभ-कुम्भौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + इभ (प्रातिपदिक) + कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वाङ्केभानां कुम्भौ)

• करौ: two hands
• करौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; (पूर्वपद-विशेषणेन सह)

• अक्ष-स्रक्-मृग-हस्तम्: (him) having rosary, garland, and a deer in hand
• अक्ष-स्रक्-मृग-हस्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + स्रज्/स्रक् (प्रातिपदिक) + मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (अक्षश्च स्रक्च मृगहस्तश्च) बहुपदसमाहारः

• अम्बुज-गतम्: seated in/on a lotus
• अम्बुज-गतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अम्बुजे गतः)

• मूर्ध-स्थ-चन्द्र-स्रवत्-पीयूष-आर्द्र-तनुम्: whose body is moistened by nectar dripping from the moon on his head
• मूर्ध-स्थ-चन्द्र-स्रवत्-पीयूष-आर्द्र-तनुम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + स्रवत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + पीयूष (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (मूर्ध्नि स्थितः चन्द्रः, तस्मात् स्रवत् पीयूषम्, तेन आर्द्रा तनुः)

• भजे: I worship
• भजे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स-गिरिजम्: (Śiva) with Girijā (Pārvatī)
• स-गिरिजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह-अर्थक) + गिरिजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गिरिजया सह)

• त्रि-अक्षम्: three-eyed
• त्रि-अक्षम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि अक्षाणि यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मृत्युञ्जयम्: the conqueror of death
• मृत्युञ्जयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (मृत्युं जयति इति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This verse is a dhyāna-style iconographic praise of Mahāmṛtyuñjaya rather than a specific Jyotirliṅga-māhātmya episode; it emphasizes amṛta (nectar) and self-abhiṣeka imagery tied to conquering death.

Significance: Meditation on Mahāmṛtyuñjaya is framed as āyus (longevity), ārogya (healing), and mṛtyu-bhaya-nivṛtti (removal of fear of death) through Śiva’s anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: mahamrityunjaya

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse is a dhyāna-stuti of Mrityuñjaya Śiva: it presents him as the compassionate Pati who conquers death and bestows liberation, while also accepting loving, tangible worship (abhisheka). The moon’s nectar signifies Śiva’s grace that cools and purifies the bound soul (paśu) and loosens the bonds (pāśa).

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

The imagery emphasizes Saguna Śiva—form, attributes, and ritual action—supporting linga/arca worship through abhisheka (pouring water). In Shaiva Siddhanta, such worship purifies the devotee and prepares the mind for realizing Śiva as the supreme Lord beyond attributes (Nirguna) while still approachable through sacred form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests Shiva abhisheka with water (kalaśa) and meditative visualization of Mrityuñjaya’s form; the rosary points to japa (especially the Mahāmṛtyuñjaya mantra or Pañcākṣarī), and the garland/devotional adornment indicates bhakti expressed through offerings and disciplined daily worship.