Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 28

हिरण्यनेत्रस्य तपः — Hiraṇyanetra’s Austerity and the Boon

Devanagari script

क्रीडायमानस्स तु मध्यवर्ती तासां प्रहर्षादथ दानवेन्द्रः । तत्पीतशिष्टानि पिबन्प्रवृत्त्यै दिव्यानि पेयानि सुमानुषाणि

Transliteration

krīḍāyamānassa tu madhyavartī tāsāṃ praharṣādatha dānavendraḥ | tatpītaśiṣṭāni pibanpravṛttyai divyāni peyāni sumānuṣāṇi

Translation

彼は彼女らのただ中で戯れ、彼女らの歓喜により喜悦したダーナヴァの主は、彼女らが飲んだ後に残った天なる飲み物を、次々と口にした――それは人の中の最上にもふさわしい霊妙の酒であった。

Word by Word

• क्रीडायमानः: sporting
• क्रीडायमानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु)
• Form: शानच् (present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘playing/sporting’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयबोधक अव्यय (but/indeed)

• मध्यवर्ती: standing in the midst
• मध्यवर्ती: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष ‘मध्ये वर्ती’

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन

• प्रहर्षात्: from/through exhilaration
• प्रहर्षात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Anantarya (अनन्तर)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (then/now)

• दानव-इन्द्रः: the lord of the Dānavas
• दानव-इन्द्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘दानवानाम् इन्द्रः’

• तत्-पीत-शिष्टानि: left over after (they) drank
• तत्-पीत-शिष्टानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + पीत (प्रातिपदिक; √पा क्त) + शिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष ‘तैः पीतानि (येषु) शिष्टानि’ = ‘remaining after being drunk’

• पिबन्: drinking
• पिबन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘drinking’

• प्रवृत्त्यै: for activity/continuation
• प्रवृत्त्यै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (dative of purpose)

• दिव्यानि: divine
• दिव्यानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

• पेयानि: drinks
• पेयानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पेयं (प्रातिपदिक; √पा यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; ‘drinkables/beverages’

• सु-मानुषाणि: excellent/human-like (pleasant)
• सु-मानुषाणि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय ‘सु-मानुषाणि’ = ‘very human-like/pleasantly human’ (qualifying पेयानि)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Yuddhakhaṇḍa account to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Dānavendra (lord of the Dānavas)

FAQs

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

It highlights bhoga (sense-indulgence) as a mode of bondage (pāśa): the Dānava lord’s delight in leftover pleasures depicts how exhilaration and craving perpetuate saṃsāric momentum, contrasted with Shaiva liberation that comes through turning the mind toward Pati (Śiva).

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

By contrast: the verse depicts enjoyment-centered life, whereas Saguna-Śiva worship (Liṅga, pūjā, mantra-japa) redirects emotion and attention from fleeting delights to the stable refuge of Śiva, transforming praharṣa (excitement) into bhakti (devotion).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is sense-restraint with devotion: replace indulgent repetition with daily Pañcākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple Liṅga-abhiṣeka, cultivating inner purity rather than seeking ever-renewed stimulation.