Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 8

उत्पातवर्णनम् / Description of Portents at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

ववाशिरे यागभूमौ क्रोष्टारो नेत्रकस्तदा । उल्कावृष्टिरभूत्तत्र श्वेतवृश्चिकसंभवा

Transliteration

vavāśire yāgabhūmau kroṣṭāro netrakastadā | ulkāvṛṣṭirabhūttatra śvetavṛścikasaṃbhavā

Translation

അപ്പോൾ യാഗഭൂമിയിൽ കുറുനരികൾ കുരച്ചു; കണ്ണിനു ഭയങ്കര അപശകുനങ്ങൾ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു. അവിടെ വെളുത്ത വൃശ്ചികങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നു ജനിച്ചതുപോലെ ഉൽകാവൃഷ്ടി ഉണ്ടായി॥

Word by Word

• ववाशिरे: they cried/howled
• ववाशिरे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वाश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural), आत्मनेपद

• यागभूमौ: on the sacrificial ground
• यागभूमौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याग-भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (sg.); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यागस्य भूमिः)

• क्रोष्टारः: jackals
• क्रोष्टारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (pl.)

• नेत्रकः: a leader/guide (Netra-ka)
• नेत्रकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• उल्कावृष्टिः: a shower of meteors/firebrands
• उल्कावृष्टिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उल्का-वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (sg.); समासः तत्पुरुषः (उल्कानां वृष्टिः)

• अभूत्: arose/occurred
• अभूत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• श्वेतवृश्चिकसंभवा: originating from white scorpions
• श्वेतवृश्चिकसंभवा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत-वृश्चिक-संभवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (sg.); समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (श्वेतवृश्चिकात् संभवा)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Ulkā-vṛṣṭi (meteor shower) and jackal howls at the yajña-bhūmi—classical apashakuna indicating imminent rupture of the rite

Characters & Entities

• Daksha

FAQs

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

The verse depicts inauspicious omens at a yajña, signaling that ritual power (karma-kāṇḍa) becomes spiritually distorted when driven by pride and hostility to Śiva; nature itself reflects the disruption of dharma.

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

In the Satī narrative, contempt toward Śiva leads to the collapse of sacrificial harmony; the omens underline the Purāṇic teaching that worship of Saguna Śiva (including the Liṅga) is essential for sanctifying rites and aligning them with divine grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to purify intention with Śiva-bhakti—recite the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma), and perform worship with humility so that outer ritual is supported by inner surrender.