Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

दक्षयज्ञदर्शनम् — The Vision of Dakṣa’s Great Sacrifice

and the Onset of Vīrabhadra’s Terror

Devanagari script

मन्त्रा ऊचुस्सुरा यूयं मोहोपहतचेतसः । येन प्रथमभागार्हं न यजध्वं महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

mantrā ūcussurā yūyaṃ mohopahatacetasaḥ | yena prathamabhāgārhaṃ na yajadhvaṃ maheśvaram

Translation

Les Mantras dirent : «Ô Devas, vos esprits sont frappés par l’illusion; c’est pourquoi vous n’adorez pas Maheśvara, digne de la première part en tout sacrifice.»

Word by Word

• मन्त्राः: the mantras/priests
• मन्त्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• सुराः: O gods
• सुराः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; संबोधन/प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (context: address)

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मोह-उपहत-चेतसः: whose minds are struck by delusion
• मोह-उपहत-चेतसः: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier of यूयम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहत (√हन् + क्त, कृदन्त) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मोहेन उपहतं चेतः येषाम्—sense close to bahuvrīhi; here treated as determinative qualifier)

• येन: by which/whereby
• येन: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (instrumental: by which/whereby)

• प्रथम-भाग-अर्हम्: deserving the first share
• प्रथम-भाग-अर्हम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (प्रथमः भागः यस्य सः अर्हः → ‘first-share-deserving’)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• यजध्वम्: you worshipped/sacrificed to
• यजध्वम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect), आत्मनेपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म/object of worship)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

The Mantras (personified Vedic hymns) addressing the Devas

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Personified Mantras correct the devas: their delusion is precisely the failure to worship Maheśvara, the prathama-bhāgārha—this reasserts Śiva as the inner recipient and ground of all yajñas.

Significance: Affirms that Veda itself culminates in Śiva; honoring Śiva as ‘first share’ aligns ritual with liberation-oriented dharma.

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that ignoring Śiva—the Pati, the supreme Lord—arises from moha (delusion). True spiritual order begins by recognizing Maheśvara as foremost and aligning worship with that truth.

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

Calling Śiva “prathamabhāgārha” supports the ritual principle that Śiva should be honored first; in practice this is expressed through Saguna worship such as Śiva-liṅga pūjā, where offerings are made with the understanding that the Lord is the inner recipient of all yajña.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer the ‘first share’ in daily worship—begin with Śiva-smaraṇa and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), then make offerings (water, bilva, or bhasma/tripuṇḍra) with the attitude that Śiva is the primary Lord of the rite.