Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 47

दक्षस्य रुद्रनिन्दा-निमित्तकथनम् / The Cause of Dakṣa’s Censure of Rudra

Devanagari script

विद्याचौरो गुरुद्रोही वेदेश्वरविदूषकः । त एते बहुपाप्मानस्सर्वे दंड्या इति श्रुतिः

Transliteration

vidyācauro gurudrohī vedeśvaravidūṣakaḥ | ta ete bahupāpmānassarve daṃḍyā iti śrutiḥ

Translation

Le voleur du savoir sacré, le traître au Guru et celui qui calomnie le Seigneur des Veda : tous ceux-là sont lourds de nombreux péchés. La Śruti proclame qu’ils méritent tous châtiment.

Word by Word

• विद्या-चौरः: a thief of knowledge
• विद्या-चौरः: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + चौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विद्यायाः चौरः)

• गुरु-द्रोही: one who betrays the teacher
• गुरु-द्रोही: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रोहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गुरोः द्रोही)

• वेद-ईश्वर-विदूषकः: one who reviles the Lord of the Vedas
• वेद-ईश्वर-विदूषकः: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + विदूषक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (वेदेश्वरं विदूषयति इति/वेदेश्वरस्य विदूषकः)

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• एते: these
• एते: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (appositive to ते)

• बहु-पाप्मानः: greatly sinful
• बहु-पाप्मानः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (बहवः पाप्मानः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• दण्ड्याः: punishable
• दण्ड्याः: विधेय-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दण्ड्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• इति: thus
• इति: निपात (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• श्रुतिः: the scripture/authoritative statement
• श्रुतिः: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General dharma-śikṣā within the Dakṣa-yajña narrative: condemns vidyā-apahāra (theft of sacred knowledge), guru-droha, and īśvara-nindā as causes of bondage and punishment.

Significance: Instructs pilgrims to protect śruti, guru, and īśvara-bhakti; right speech and right discipleship are prerequisites for Śiva’s anugraha.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines grave spiritual offenses—misusing sacred knowledge, betraying one’s Guru, and ridiculing the Vedic Lord (Śiva)—as acts that bind the soul (paśu) more tightly in pāśa (bondage) through heavy demerit, obstructing right knowledge and liberation.

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is grounded in śraddhā and reverence for Śiva as Vedeśvara; contempt for the Veda, the Guru, or Śiva undermines the very attitude required for fruitful Saguna devotion and the purifying grace that Linga-upāsanā seeks.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Guru-sevā and daily Shiva-smaraṇa with the Panchākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), maintaining purity of speech and avoiding nindā (slander); if one has erred, undertake prāyaścitta through sincere confession, japa, and disciplined conduct.