Shloka 20
Adhyāya 283: Varṇa-vṛtti, Nyāya-ārjana, and the Decline-and-Restoration of Dharma (वर्णवृत्तिः न्यायार्जनं च)
दक्ष उवाच सन्ति नो बहवो रुद्रा: शूलहस्ता: कपर्दिन: । एकादशस्थानगता नाहं वेझि महेश्वरम्,दक्षने कहा--हाथोंमें शूल और मस्तकपर जटाजूट धारण करनेवाले बहुत-से रुद्र हमारे यहाँ रहते हैं। वे ग्यारह हैं और ग्यारह स्थानोंमें निवास करते हैं। उनके सिवा दूसरे किसी महेश्वरको मैं नहीं जानता
dakṣa uvāca santi no bahavo rudrāḥ śūlahastāḥ kapardinaḥ | ekādaśasthānagatā nāhaṃ vedi maheśvaram ||
Dakṣa berkata: “Dalam kalangan kami ada banyak Rudra—bertangan lembing tiga (trisula) dan berambut gimbal. Mereka berjumlah sebelas dan mendiami sebelas tempat. Selain mereka, aku tidak mengenal Maheśvara yang lain.”
दक्ष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a theological standpoint: the divine may be spoken of as multiple manifestations (the eleven Rudras), yet recognition of the supreme form (Maheśvara) depends on one’s understanding; Dakṣa claims knowledge only of the Rudras known in his tradition and denies any other Maheśvara beyond them.
Dakṣa is speaking about Rudra-forms present ‘among us,’ describing their iconography (trident, matted hair) and their number and abodes (eleven). He then asserts that apart from these eleven Rudras he does not acknowledge another Maheśvara.