Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 10

दक्षस्य विष्णुं प्रति शरणागतिḥ — Dakṣa’s Appeal to Viṣṇu and the Teaching on Disrespect to Śiva

Devanagari script

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन माननीयो वृषध्वजः । अमानितान्महेशाच्च महद्भयमुपस्थितम्

Transliteration

tasmātsarvaprayatnena mānanīyo vṛṣadhvajaḥ | amānitānmaheśācca mahadbhayamupasthitam

Translation

Ainsi, par tous les efforts possibles, il faut honorer comme il se doit Vṛṣadhvaja—le Seigneur dont l’étendard porte le Taureau—, Mahādeva. Car lorsque Maheśa est déshonoré, une grande crainte (calamité) s’abat inévitablement sur le fautif.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्यय (ablatival adverb); ‘therefore’

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-भाव: ‘with all effort’; तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग

• माननीयः: worthy of honor / should be honored
• माननीयः: Karta (कर्ता) — predicate about ‘vṛṣadhvajaḥ’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/अनीयर्), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• वृषध्वजः: Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृषध्वजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (वृषः ध्वजः यस्य सः), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; शिव-पर्याय

• अमानितात्: from disrespect / from not honoring
• अमानितात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + मानित (√मान् धातु + क्त)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; अपादान (from dishonor/being dishonored)

• महेशात्: from Maheśa (Śiva)
• महेशात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; ‘from Maheśa’

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karta (कर्ता) — qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies ‘bhayam’)

• भयम्: fear / danger
• भयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• उपस्थितम्: has arisen / has come upon
• उपस्थितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया) — predicate participle
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘has arisen/has come’ (agreeing with ‘bhayam’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Sati Khanda context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that honoring Śiva (Pati) is not mere etiquette but a dharmic necessity: reverence aligns the soul (paśu) with divine grace, while contempt invites inner and outer turmoil (bhaya) through karmic obstruction.

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

Vṛṣadhvaja points to Saguna Śiva—approachable through forms like the Śiva-liṅga and traditional upacāras (honours). The verse emphasizes that proper pūjā, respect, and humility are essential attitudes in liṅga-worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate daily Śiva-mānasa-pūjā (mental honour), offer respectful upacāras to the Śiva-liṅga, and maintain a reverent discipline such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to remove fear and avert obstacles.