Shloka 46

Devanagari script

भद्रायुरपि राजर्षिर्जित्वा रिपुगणान्विधे । राज्यं चकार धर्मेण विवाह्य कीर्त्तिमालिनीम्

Transliteration

bhadrāyurapi rājarṣirjitvā ripugaṇānvidhe | rājyaṃ cakāra dharmeṇa vivāhya kīrttimālinīm

Translation

O Vidhi (Brahmā), the royal sage Bhadrāyu too, having conquered hosts of enemies, ruled his kingdom in accordance with dharma, after marrying Kīrtimālinī.

Word by Word

• bhadrāyuḥ: Bhadrāyu
• bhadrāyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadrāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (also)

• rāja-ṛṣiḥ: royal sage
• rāja-ṛṣiḥ: Apposition (समानााधिकरण/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (rājā ca ṛṣiś ca / rājā-ṛṣiḥ)

• jitvā: having conquered
• jitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ji (जि धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): having conquered

• ripu-gaṇān: hosts of enemies
• ripu-gaṇān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ripūṇāṃ gaṇāḥ)

• vidhe: O Ordainer (Brahmā)
• vidhe: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• rājyam: kingdom
• rājyam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• cakāra: he ruled / he did
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• dharmeṇa: by righteousness
• dharmeṇa: Karaṇa (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• vivāhya: having married
• vivāhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vah (वह् धातु) with vi- + ā-
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-अर्थे अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having married (lit. having led in marriage)

• kīrtti-mālinīm: Kīrttimālinī (a woman named/‘garlanded with fame’)
• kīrtti-mālinīm: Karma (कर्म/Object of vivāhya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīrtti (प्रातिपदिक) + mālinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kīrtteḥ mālinī = garlanded with fame)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse functions as royal-ethical framing within the Ṛṣabha-avatāra narrative, presenting dhārmic kingship as a field for Śiva’s grace to operate through worldly order.

Significance: Śravaṇa of Śiva-avatāra narratives is implied to yield puṇya; this verse specifically models righteous rule (dharma-rājya) as a preparatory discipline for devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Bhadrāyu
• Kīrtimālinī

FAQs

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

It presents dhārmic kingship as a Shaiva virtue: conquering outer enemies and then governing with righteousness, indicating that worldly power is to be aligned with dharma under the lordship of Pati (Śiva).

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

Though the verse is narrative, it supports Saguna-Śiva devotion by showing an ideal devotee-king who orders life (marriage, rule, victory) through dharma—an outer expression of inner alignment with Śiva’s cosmic order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is disciplined dharma as daily sādhana; a Shaiva may pair this with regular Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and temple/Liṅga worship to keep rulership or household life aligned with Śiva.