Shloka 19

दक्षयज्ञे मुनिदेवसमागमः / The Gathering of Sages and Gods at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

गंधर्वविद्याधरसिद्धसंघानादित्यसंघान् सगणान् सयज्ञान् । संख्यावरान्नागचरान् समस्तान् वव्रे स दक्षो हि महाध्वरे स्वे

Transliteration

gaṃdharvavidyādharasiddhasaṃghānādityasaṃghān sagaṇān sayajñān | saṃkhyāvarānnāgacarān samastān vavre sa dakṣo hi mahādhvare sve

Translation

തന്റെ മഹാധ്വര യാഗത്തിനായി ദക്ഷൻ ഗന്ധർവ, വിദ്യാധര, സിദ്ധസംഘങ്ങളെ; ആദിത്യരുടെ കൂട്ടങ്ങളെ; വിവിധ ഗണങ്ങളെയും യാഗകർമ്മികളെയും; കൂടാതെ നാഗജാതിയിലെ ശ്രേഷ്ഠരെയും ഉൾപ്പെടുത്തി എല്ലാവരെയും—ഒരാളെയും ഒഴിവാക്കാതെ—ആഹ്വാനിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• गन्धर्व-विद्याधर-सिद्ध-संघान्: assemblies of Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, and Siddhas
• गन्धर्व-विद्याधर-सिद्ध-संघान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्याधर (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + संघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन — masculine accusative plural; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: ‘गन्धर्वाश्च विद्याधराश्च सिद्धाश्च (तेषां) संघाः’

• आदित्य-संघान्: assemblies of Ādityas
• आदित्य-संघान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन — masculine accusative plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘आदित्यानां संघान्’

• स-गणान्: with their groups/retinues
• स-गणान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत् ‘with’) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन — masculine accusative plural; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘गणैः सह’ = ‘with their retinues’

• स-यज्ञान्: together with sacrifices
• स-यज्ञान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपपद ‘with’) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन — masculine accusative plural; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘यज्ञैः सह’

• संख्या-वरान्: excellent in number / numerous and eminent
• संख्या-वरान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन — masculine accusative plural; तत्पुरुष: ‘संख्यायाः वरान्’ / ‘संख्यया वरान्’ (best in number / excellent by count)

• नाग-चरान्: Nāga-beings (serpent folk)
• नाग-चरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन — masculine accusative plural; तत्पुरुष: ‘नागानां चराः’ / ‘नागैः चरन्ति’ = serpent-beings/serpent-goers

• समस्तान्: all (of them)
• समस्तान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन — masculine accusative plural; विशेषण of the preceding groups

• वव्रे: chose/selected
• वव्रे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु; ‘to choose’)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — perfect, middle, 3rd person singular

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

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular; apposition to ‘सः’

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — particle (reason/emphasis)

• महाध्वरे: in the great sacrifice
• महाध्वरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाध्वर (प्रातिपदिक; महा + अध्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन — masculine locative singular; कर्मधारय: ‘महान् अध्वरः’

• स्वे: in his own
• स्वे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन — masculine locative singular; विशेषण of ‘महाध्वरे’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Gandharvas
• Vidyadharas
• Siddhas
• Adityas
• Nagas

FAQs

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

It highlights the grandeur of Dakṣa’s external ritual power—he gathers every celestial class—yet, in the Satī narrative, such completeness of attendance foreshadows a key Shaiva Siddhānta lesson: ritual (karma) without humility and devotion to Pati (Śiva) becomes spiritually hollow and can turn into ego-driven dharma.

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

By emphasizing a ‘great sacrifice’ filled with gods and perfected beings, the text contrasts public ritual prestige with the Shaiva view that true auspiciousness comes from honoring Śiva as Saguna Pati (worshipped as Liṅga and Lord). The Dakṣa episode underscores that excluding Śiva from worship disrupts the very sanctity the yajña seeks to establish.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse itself centers on yajña-invitations, but its takeaway in the Satīkhaṇḍa context is to purify ritual with Śiva-bhakti: begin worship with remembrance of Śiva (e.g., pañcākṣarī japa—‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) and maintain humility, treating all rites as offerings to Pati rather than as a display of status.