Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

दक्षयज्ञदर्शनम् — The Vision of Dakṣa’s Great Sacrifice

and the Onset of Vīrabhadra’s Terror

Devanagari script

वीरभद्र उवाच । वयं ह्यनुचराः सर्वे शर्वस्यामिततेजसः । भागाभिलिप्सया प्राप्ता भागो नस्संप्रदीयताम्

Transliteration

vīrabhadra uvāca | vayaṃ hyanucarāḥ sarve śarvasyāmitatejasaḥ | bhāgābhilipsayā prāptā bhāgo nassaṃpradīyatām

Translation

Vīrabhadra berkata: “Kami semua ialah pengiring Śarva (Dewa Śiva) yang bersinar tanpa terukur. Kami datang menginginkan bahagian kami; maka kurniakanlah bahagian itu kepada kami dengan sewajarnya.”

Word by Word

• वीरभद्रः: Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक) + भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (विशेषण-विशेष्य: ‘वीरः भद्रः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• अनुचराः: attendants/followers
• अनुचराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• शर्वस्य: of Śarva (Śiva)
• शर्वस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अमिततेजसः: of immeasurable splendor
• अमिततेजसः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (‘अमितं तेजो यस्य’), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; शर्वस्य विशेषण

• भागाभिलिप्सया: by desire for a share
• भागाभिलिप्सया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिलिप्सा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘भागस्य अभिलिप्सा’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• प्राप्ताः: having come/arrived
• प्राप्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (as predicate of ‘we’)

• भागः: a share/portion
• भागः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नः: to us
• नः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान) बहुवचन (enclitic)

• सम्प्रदीयताम्: let it be granted/given
• सम्प्रदीयताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Vīrabhadra

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Context is Dakṣa’s yajña: Śiva’s gaṇas, led by Vīrabhadra, arrive demanding Śiva’s rightful ‘first share’ (prathama-bhāga) in the sacrifice; denial becomes the occasion for the destruction of the yajña and the re-establishment of Śiva’s supremacy over ritual.

Significance: Teaches that yajña without honoring Pati (Śiva) is spiritually fruitless; right ‘share’ signifies recognition of Śiva as inner lord of all rites.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Virabhadra

FAQs

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

It emphasizes loyalty to Pati (Lord Śiva) and the principle of rightful order (dharma): Śiva’s attendants act under his authority and seek what is due, reflecting disciplined service rather than ego-driven demand.

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

By naming Śiva as Śarva with immeasurable splendor, the verse points to Saguna Śiva—knowable through his manifested power and retinue—supporting the Purāṇic vision in which devotion to Śiva (including Linga worship) aligns one with his cosmic order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is disciplined seva (service) and remembrance of Śiva’s lordship; as a supportive practice, one may repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while cultivating humility and obedience to dharma.