Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 3

दाक्षयज्ञप्रस्थान-प्रश्नः

Satī Inquires about the Departure for Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

क्रीडासक्ता तदा देवी ददर्शाथ मुदा सती । दक्षयज्ञे प्रयांतं च रोहिण्या पृच्छ्य सत्वरम्

Transliteration

krīḍāsaktā tadā devī dadarśātha mudā satī | dakṣayajñe prayāṃtaṃ ca rohiṇyā pṛcchya satvaram

Translation

तेव्हा क्रीडेत आसक्त असलेल्या देवी सतीने आनंदाने पाहिले की कोणी दक्षाच्या यज्ञाकडे निघाले आहे. तिने तत्काळ रोहिणीला विचारून त्या प्रसंगाकडे मन लावले।

Word by Word

• क्रीडा-सक्ता: absorbed in play
• क्रीडा-सक्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक) + सक्त (कृदन्त; √सञ्ज्/सज् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (क्त/क्तवत्-प्रायः), ‘क्रीडायां सक्ता’ इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (conjunctive particle: ‘then/and then’)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भावे (instrumental: ‘with joy’)

• सती: Satī
• सती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• दक्ष-यज्ञे: in Dakṣa’s sacrifice
• दक्ष-यज्ञे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘दक्षस्य यज्ञः’)

• प्रयान्तम्: going
• प्रयान्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), परस्मैपद-परक; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘गच्छन्तम्’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• रोहिण्या: by Rohiṇī
• रोहिण्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोहिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; साधन/सहकारि-भावे (by/through Rohiṇī)

• पृच्छ्य: having asked
• पृच्छ्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having asked’

• सत्वरम्: quickly
• सत्वरम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्वरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse is part of the Dakṣa-yajña narrative prelude; no Jyotirliṅga identification.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Sati
• Daksha
• Rohini

FAQs

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

It marks the karmic turning-point where Satī’s innocent joy meets the news of Dakṣa’s yajña—foreshadowing the Shaiva teaching that ritual without humility and devotion to Pati (Śiva) becomes a cause of bondage and sorrow.

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

The Dakṣa-yajña narrative contrasts outer sacrifice with inner surrender: Saguna Śiva is honored through bhakti and reverence, while neglecting Śiva (the very Lord of yajña) shows that mere ritual form cannot replace devotion to the Linga-tattva and Śiva as the indwelling Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is to prioritize Śiva-smaraṇa (remembrance) and mantra-bhakti—especially japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—so that ritual actions are grounded in devotion rather than social pride or display.