Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

वीरभद्रक्रोधशमनं देवस्तुतिश्च

Pacification of Vīrabhadra and the Gods’ Hymn

Devanagari script

देवाश्च लब्धावसरा देवदेवस्य मंत्रिणः । धारयन्तो ऽञ्जलीन्मूर्ध्नि तुष्टुवुर्विविधैः स्तवैः

Transliteration

devāśca labdhāvasarā devadevasya maṃtriṇaḥ | dhārayanto 'ñjalīnmūrdhni tuṣṭuvurvividhaiḥ stavaiḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ദേവന്മാർ—യോഗ്യാവസരം ലഭിച്ചതോടെ—ദേവദേവന്റെ മന്ത്രിമാരോടൊപ്പം, ശിരസ്സിൽ അഞ്ജലി ധരിച്ചു, വിവിധ സ്തവങ്ങളാൽ അവനെ സ്തുതിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (pl)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• लब्ध-अवसराः: having obtained an opportunity
• लब्ध-अवसराः: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्ध (लभ् धातु + क्त कृदन्त) + अवसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभाव: ‘लब्धः अवसरः येषाम्’), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा; विशेषण of देवाः

• देव-देवस्य: of the God of gods
• देव-देवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘देवानां देवः’), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• मन्त्रिणः: counsellors/ministers
• मन्त्रिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अपि ‘देवाः’ इत्यस्य विशेष्य-सम्बन्धे apposition

• धारयन्तः: holding
• धारयन्तः: Karta (कर्ता) (participial, linked to देवाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्रियासहचर (concomitant action)

• अञ्जलीन्: folded hands (añjali gesture)
• अञ्जलीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तुष्टुवुः: praised
• तुष्टुवुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• विविधैः: with various
• विविधैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण of स्तवैः

• स्तवैः: hymns
• स्तवैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; साधन-करण (instrument of praising)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General Purāṇic motif: devas regain composure and offer stuti once the Lord’s wrath is appeased; not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga site here.

Significance: Models the liturgical sequence: after danger/obstacle, collective stuti invokes prasāda and restoration of cosmic order.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

It presents bhakti as a direct spiritual posture: the devas approach Śiva with humility (añjali on the head) and stuti, indicating that grace arises when the soul turns from self-assertion to reverent surrender to Pati (the Lord).

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

The verse highlights Saguna-upāsanā through praise and visible gestures of reverence; in Linga worship, the same inner attitude is expressed by offering añjali, reciting stotras, and honoring Śiva as Devadeva, the supreme object of devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice añjali-mudrā with bowed head before Śiva or the Linga, then recite a Śiva-stotra or the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") with a steady, prayerful mind.