Shloka 23

स्वायम्भुव-मन्वन्तर-वंशवर्णनम्

Genealogy of Svāyambhuva Manu and the Dhruva Episode

Devanagari script

सर्वेषां वृत्तिदश्चाभूद्देवर्षिसुर रक्षसाम् । मनुष्याणां विशेषेण शतयज्ञकरो नृपः

Transliteration

sarveṣāṃ vṛttidaścābhūddevarṣisura rakṣasām | manuṣyāṇāṃ viśeṣeṇa śatayajñakaro nṛpaḥ

Translation

He became the ordainer of livelihood and the regulator of conduct for all—deva-sages, gods, and even the rākṣasas; and among human beings in particular, that king became renowned as the performer of a hundred sacrifices.

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• वृत्ति-दः: provider of livelihood
• वृत्ति-दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वृत्तिं ददाति इति)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: भू (सत्तायाम्)

• देव-ऋषि-सुर-रक्षसाम्: of gods, sages, devas, and rākṣasas
• देव-ऋषि-सुर-रक्षसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (देवाश्च ऋषयश्च सुराश्च रक्षांसि च)

• मनुष्याणाम्: of humans
• मनुष्याणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (instrumental used adverbially); क्रियाविशेषण (especially)

• शत-यज्ञ-करः: performer of a hundred sacrifices
• शत-यज्ञ-करः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शतानि यज्ञान् करोति इति)

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse universalizes Pṛthu’s regulatory role across classes of beings; in Śaiva Siddhānta this mirrors the Lord’s niyati (ordering power) operating through kingship, not a particular Jyotirliṅga legend.

Significance: Encourages devotees to uphold social and cosmic order (dharma) as participation in Śiva’s sustaining function.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Devarshi
• Devas
• Rakshasas
• King (Nripa)

FAQs

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

The verse praises dharmic rulership: when a leader sustains beings (vṛtti) and upholds right conduct, society aligns with cosmic order; in Shaiva understanding, such order ultimately rests on Pati (Shiva) as the inner governor, with the king acting as an instrument of that dharma.

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

Though it speaks of kingship and yajña, the Shiva Purana frames worldly order as meaningful when oriented to Shiva; sacrifices and governance become spiritually fruitful when offered with devotion to Saguna Shiva (as Lord of dharma) and purified toward realization of the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is disciplined dharma with consecrated action: perform worship and offerings with Shiva-centered intention—such as japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and regular Shiva-puja—so that duty and merit lead toward inner purification.