Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 32

प्रयागे महत्समाजः — शिवदर्शनं दक्षागमनं च

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

Devanagari script

ये रुद्रविमुखाश्चात्र ब्राह्मणास्त्वादृशाः खलाः । रुद्रतेजःप्रभावत्वात्तेषां शापं ददाम्यहम्

Transliteration

ye rudravimukhāścātra brāhmaṇāstvādṛśāḥ khalāḥ | rudratejaḥprabhāvatvātteṣāṃ śāpaṃ dadāmyaham

Translation

ഇവിടെ നിനക്കുപോലെയുള്ള ദുഷ്ട ബ്രാഹ്മണർ രുദ്രവിമുഖരാണ്; രുദ്രതേജസ്സിന്റെ പ്രഭാവത്താൽ ഞാൻ ഇപ്പോൾ അവർക്കു ശാപം പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग

• रुद्रविमुखाः: turned away from Rudra
• रुद्रविमुखाः: कर्ता (Karta—qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्र + विमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; विशेषणम् to ‘ब्राह्मणाः/खलाः’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa—location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (Adverb of place)

• ब्राह्मणाः: brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: कर्ता (Karta—apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेष-अव्यय (adversative/emphatic particle)

• आदृशाः: such (as you/like this)
• आदृशाः: कर्ता (Karta—qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; विशेषणम् to ‘ब्राह्मणाः/खलाः’

• खलाः: wicked people
• खलाः: कर्ता (Karta—predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; predicate noun for ‘ये’

• रुद्रतेजःप्रभावत्वात्: because of the potency of Rudra’s splendor
• रुद्रतेजःप्रभावत्वात्: अपादान (Apādāna—cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + तेजस् + प्रभाव + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; हेतौ/कारणे: ‘because of the state of being (due to) Rudra’s fiery power/effect’

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शापम्: a curse
• शापम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• ददामि: I give
• ददामि: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Satī (Pārvatī as Satī)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Rudra)
• Brahmanas

FAQs

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

It warns that turning away from Rudra (Shiva) and engaging in contempt for Him is spiritually ruinous; Satī invokes Rudra’s tejas as the moral-spiritual authority behind her curse, underscoring that Shiva-bhakti is central to dharma and liberation.

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

Rudra-tejas points to Shiva’s manifest (saguṇa) majesty that protects devotees and corrects adharma; reverence toward Shiva—often expressed through Liṅga worship—stands opposed to Rudra-nindā and Rudra-vimukhatā (aversion to Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is to cultivate Shiva-bhakti through regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), respectful Liṅga-pūjā, and Shaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa—while strictly avoiding Shiva-nindā.