Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 57

दक्षस्य यज्ञप्रवृत्तिः तथा ईश्वरवर्जितदेवसमागमः

Dakṣa’s Sacrificial Undertaking and the Devas’ Assembly without Īśvara

Devanagari script

तेषां मध्ये समारुह्य वृषेंद्रं वृषभध्वजः । जगाम भगवान्भद्रश्शुभमभ्रं यथा भवः

Transliteration

teṣāṃ madhye samāruhya vṛṣeṃdraṃ vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ | jagāma bhagavānbhadraśśubhamabhraṃ yathā bhavaḥ

Translation

അവരുടെ മദ്ധ്യേ വൃഷേന്ദ്രനെ കയറി വൃഷഭധ്വജനായ ഭഗവാൻ ഭദ്രൻ മുന്നോട്ട് നീങ്ങി; ഭവൻ (ശിവൻ) മംഗളമായ ദീപ്ത മേഘത്തിലൂടെ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ.

Word by Word

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘of them’

• madhye: in the midst
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘in the middle’

• samāruhya: having mounted
• samāruhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√ruh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having mounted/ascended’

• vṛṣa-indram: the lordly bull
• vṛṣa-indram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘bull-lord’ (the chief bull, Nandin)

• vṛṣabha-dhvajaḥ: the bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• vṛṣabha-dhvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; epithet ‘whose banner is a bull’ (Śiva)

• jagāma: went
• jagāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘went’

• bhagavān: the Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘the Lord’

• bhadraḥ: Bhadra (name)
• bhadraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; proper name ‘Bhadra’ (attendant/gaṇa)

• śubham: auspicious, bright
• śubham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective qualifying ‘abhram’

• abhram: cloud
• abhram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘cloud’

• yathā: like
• yathā: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (as/like)

• bhavaḥ: Bhava (Śiva)
• bhavaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; epithet of Śiva ‘Bhava’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nandi

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Śiva as the ever-auspicious Pati (Lord) whose movement itself sanctifies the world; his riding of the divine bull signifies sovereign mastery over dharma and the steady, sattvic mind that carries the devotee toward liberation.

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

By naming Śiva as Vṛṣabhadhvaja and Bhava, the text presents Saguna Śiva—approachable through form, name, and symbol—supporting devotional worship (including Liṅga-pūjā) where the devotee contemplates his auspicious presence and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple practice is Nandi–Śiva dhyāna: mentally visualize Śiva, the Bull-bannered Lord, seated upon Nandi, and repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a steady, dharma-aligned mind.