Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 26

दक्षयज्ञ-प्रसङ्गे देवतानां आश्वासनं तथा दण्डविधानम् | Consolation of the Devas and the Ordinance of Consequences in the Dakṣa-Yajña Episode

Devanagari script

अथ प्रजापतेस्तस्य सवनीयपशोश्शिरः । बस्तस्य संदधुश्शंभोः कायेनारं सुशासनात्

Transliteration

atha prajāpatestasya savanīyapaśośśiraḥ | bastasya saṃdadhuśśaṃbhoḥ kāyenāraṃ suśāsanāt

Translation

Alors, par l'excellent commandement de Shambhu, ils attachèrent à ce Prajapati la tête de l'animal sacrificiel — un bouc — en utilisant une partie provenant du corps même de Shiva.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/adverb (अनन्तरार्थक)

• prajāpateḥ: of Prajāpati
• prajāpateḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• savanīya-paśoḥ: of the sacrificial animal (fit for Soma-pressing rite)
• savanīya-paśoḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: savanīya (प्रातिपदिक) + paśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘savanīya’ qualifying ‘paśu’ (karmadhāraya-like internal relation, overall determinative)

• śiraḥ: head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bastasya: of a goat
• bastasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: basta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• saṃdadhuḥ: they joined/attached
• saṃdadhuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-dhā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada; from √धा with उपसर्ग ‘सम्-’

• śaṃbhoḥ: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhoḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• kāyena: with (his) body
• kāyena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• aram: properly; sufficiently
• aram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aram (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/adverb (पर्याप्त्यर्थक/समर्थ्यर्थक)

• suśāsanāt: from (his) good command; by (his) instruction
• suśāsanāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); su + śāsana = ‘good command/instruction’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shambhu
• Prajapati (Daksha)

FAQs

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

It shows Śiva as Pati (the Lord) who both chastises adharma and restores balance through grace—teaching that even after grave error, humility and divine ordinance can re-establish order.

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

Śambhu’s personal command and intervention highlight Saguna Śiva’s compassionate lordship: the devotee approaches a living, responsive Lord whose grace can heal the consequences of arrogance and sacrificial pride.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is obedience to Śiva’s śāsana through daily Śiva-pūjā—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and a repentant, disciplined mind to dissolve ego (ahaṅkāra).