Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

कैलासगमनं कुबेरसख्यं च — Śiva’s Journey to Kailāsa and His Friendship with Kubera

Devanagari script

असीत्कांपिल्यनगरे सोमयाजिकुलोद्भवः । दीक्षितो यज्ञदत्ताख्यो यज्ञविद्याविशारदः

Transliteration

asītkāṃpilyanagare somayājikulodbhavaḥ | dīkṣito yajñadattākhyo yajñavidyāviśāradaḥ

Translation

കാംപില്യ നഗരത്തിൽ സോമയാജി കുലത്തിൽ ജനിച്ച, ദീക്ഷിതനായ യജ്ഞദത്തൻ എന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; അവൻ യജ്ഞവിദ്യയിൽ വിശാരദനായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• āsīt: there was
• āsīt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Tinganta, Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person Singular

• kāṃpilya-nagare: in the city of Kāṃpilya
• kāṃpilya-nagare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṃpilya (प्रातिपदिक) + nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: kāṃpilya-nagara ‘city of Kāṃpilya’; Neuter Locative (सप्तमी) Singular

• soma-yāji-kula-udbhavaḥ: born in a Soma-sacrificing lineage
• soma-yāji-kula-udbhavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: soma (प्रातिपदिक) + yāji (प्रातिपदिक) + kula (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Multi-member Tatpuruṣa: soma-yāji-kula-udbhava ‘born in the family of Soma-sacrificers’; Masculine Nominative Singular

• dīkṣitaḥ: initiated
• dīkṣitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīkṣita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Singular; past passive participle sense ‘initiated/consecrated’

• yajñadatta-ākhyaḥ: called Yajñadatta
• yajñadatta-ākhyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yajñadatta (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: yajñadatta-ākhya ‘named Yajñadatta’; Masculine Nominative Singular

• yajña-vidyā-viśāradaḥ: expert in sacrificial lore
• yajña-vidyā-viśāradaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: yajña-vidyā-viśārada ‘skilled in the knowledge of sacrifice’; Masculine Nominative Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Not a Jyotirliṅga site in this verse; functions as narrative geography establishing a dharmic setting for a Śaiva episode.

Characters & Entities

• Yajñadatta

FAQs

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

It introduces an ideal Vedic householder-priest whose ritual purity and initiation (dīkṣā) establish the narrative ground for showing that even the highest karma-kāṇḍa attains its true fulfillment when aligned with devotion to Pati (Lord Shiva), the supreme bestower of grace.

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

By highlighting mastery of yajña-vidyā, the text prepares the contrast that external sacrifice alone is incomplete unless offered to Saguna Shiva (often approached through the Linga), who sanctifies rites and turns them toward liberation rather than mere worldly merit.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse foregrounds dīkṣā and disciplined yajña; as a Shaiva takeaway, one should perform rites with Shiva-sankalpa—supporting them with Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and, where appropriate, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steadiness and purity.