Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 20

प्रयागे महत्समाजः — शिवदर्शनं दक्षागमनं च

The Great Assembly at Prayāga: Śiva’s Appearance and Dakṣa’s Arrival

Devanagari script

नन्दी निशम्य तद्वाक्यं लालाक्षोतिरुषान्वितः । अब्रवीत्त्वरितं दक्षं शापं दातुमना गणः

Transliteration

nandī niśamya tadvākyaṃ lālākṣotiruṣānvitaḥ | abravīttvaritaṃ dakṣaṃ śāpaṃ dātumanā gaṇaḥ

Translation

उन वचनों को सुनकर नन्दी क्रोध से लाल नेत्रों वाला हो गया। शाप देने की इच्छा से भरा वह गण, बिना विलम्ब के दक्ष से बोला।

Word by Word

• नन्दी: Nandī
• नन्दी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन्/नन्दी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + शम्/शृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund) ‘having heard/learned’

• तत्-वाक्यम्: that statement
• तत्-वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य वाक्यम्)

• लाला-अक्ष-उति-रुषा-अन्वितः: endowed with anger (and signs like drooling/fiery eyes)
• लाला-अक्ष-उति-रुषा-अन्वितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लाला (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + उति (प्रातिपदिक) + रुषा (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त; अनु + इ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय) अर्थः—‘लालाक्षोतिः’ (drooling/with saliva in eyes) तथा ‘रुषा अन्वितः’ = anger-endowed; ‘अन्वित’ भूतकृदन्त

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्वरितम्: quickly
• त्वरितम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्वरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) रूपेण अव्ययीभूत-प्रयोग; मूलतः नपुंसक एकवचन द्वितीया

• दक्षम्: Dakṣa
• दक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• शापम्: a curse
• शापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दातुम्: to give
• दातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive) ‘to give’

• मनाः: intending
• मनाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणवत्—‘मनाः’ = minded/intending

• गणः: the attendant (gaṇa)
• गणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the episode to the sages; verse reports Nandi’s impending speech)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Characters & Entities

• Nandi
• Daksha

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how contempt toward Shiva and His devotees (gaṇas) provokes a dharmic reaction: in Shaiva Siddhanta, devotion to Pati (Shiva) is sacred, and pride-driven insult (aparādha) becomes a cause of bondage and downfall.

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

Nandi, as Shiva’s foremost attendant and emblem of steadfast bhakti, represents loyal service to Saguna Shiva; the episode warns that rejecting Shiva’s worship (including Linga-upasana) out of ego leads to spiritual and worldly consequences.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to cultivate humility and devotion: daily remembrance of Shiva through the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and reverence to Shiva-bhaktas helps avoid aparādha and steadies the mind in bhakti.