Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17
शङ्खचूडदूतागमनम् — The Arrival of Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Envoy
and Praise of Śiva
तत्पुत्रो धार्मिको दंभो दानवेन्द्रो महामतिः । तस्य त्वं तनयः श्रेष्ठो धर्मात्मा दानवेश्वरः
tatputro dhārmiko daṃbho dānavendro mahāmatiḥ | tasya tvaṃ tanayaḥ śreṣṭho dharmātmā dānaveśvaraḥ
Son fils fut Dambha, juste dans le dharma, d’une grande intelligence, seigneur parmi les Dānavas. Et toi, tu es son fils éminent, au cœur vertueux, souverain des Dānavas.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the genealogy within the Yuddhakhaṇḍa account)
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
The verse highlights that dharma (righteous order) can appear even within Danava lineages, implying that virtue is a quality of conduct and inner disposition—not merely of birth—while worldly lordship remains distinct from Shiva-granted liberation.
In the Yuddhakhaṇḍa context, such genealogical praise frames the moral and karmic standing of characters who later encounter Shiva’s Saguna power in battle and grace; it underscores that true sovereignty is ultimately under Pati (Shiva), beyond asuric or divine hierarchy.
No specific ritual is directly prescribed in this verse; the practical takeaway is to cultivate dharmic conduct alongside Shiva-bhakti—commonly expressed in the Purana through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined self-restraint.