Shloka 23

भक्तिभेदाः—ज्ञानप्रधानभक्तेः प्रशंसा

Grades of Devotees and the Praise of Knowledge-Centered Devotion

Devanagari script

दक्षोभवन्महाप्रीत्या शिवभक्तिरतस्तदा । सकुटुम्बस्सुराद्यास्ते शिवं मत्वाखिलेश्वरम्

Transliteration

dakṣobhavanmahāprītyā śivabhaktiratastadā | sakuṭumbassurādyāste śivaṃ matvākhileśvaram

Translation

Then Dakṣa, filled with great joy, became devoted in bhakti to Śiva; and the gods and others too—along with their families—regarded Śiva as the Lord of all.

Word by Word

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

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• महाप्रीत्या: with great joy
• महाप्रीत्या: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती प्रीतिः)

• शिवभक्तिरतः: devoted to Śiva-bhakti
• शिवभक्तिरतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव-भक्ति-रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य भक्तौ रतः)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• सकुटुम्बः: together with (his) family
• सकुटुम्बः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-कुटुम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (कुटुम्बेन सह)

• सुराद्याः: the gods and others
• सुराद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ सहित तत्पुरुष-समासः (सुराः आदयः)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मत्वा: having regarded
• मत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मन् (धातु) (क्त्वान्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having considered/knowing’

• अखिलेश्वरम्: the Lord of all
• अखिलेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखिल-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अखिलस्य ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Daksha
• Devas

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva-bhakti as the turning point: when even Dakṣa and the devas recognize Śiva as Akhileśvara (Lord of all), devotion replaces ego and aligns the soul (paśu) with its true Lord (Pati).

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

Calling Śiva “Akhileśvara” supports Saguna worship—approaching the Supreme through a knowable Lord who is honored by the devas; in Purāṇic practice this recognition naturally expresses itself through Liṅga-pūjā as the accessible form of the formless Absolute.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is Shiva-bhakti: daily remembrance with the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” offered with simple devotion (optionally with bhasma/tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa as Shaiva aids), cultivating humble recognition of Śiva’s lordship.