Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16

प्रयागे महत्समाजः — शिवदर्शनं दक्षागमनं च

The Great Assembly at Prayāga: Śiva’s Appearance and Dakṣa’s Arrival

Devanagari script

पाखंडिनो दुर्जनपाप शीला दृष्ट्वा द्विजं प्रोद्धतनिंदकाश्च । वध्वां सदासक्तरतिप्रवीणस्तस्मादमुं शप्तुमहं प्रवृत्तः

Transliteration

pākhaṃḍino durjanapāpa śīlā dṛṣṭvā dvijaṃ proddhataniṃdakāśca | vadhvāṃ sadāsaktaratipravīṇastasmādamuṃ śaptumahaṃ pravṛttaḥ

Translation

ସେହି ଦ୍ୱିଜକୁ ଦେଖି—ଯେ ପାଖଣ୍ଡୀ, ଦୁର୍ଜନ, ପାପଶୀଳ, ଅହଙ୍କାରରେ ଫୁଲିଥିବା ନିନ୍ଦକ, ଏବଂ ପରସ୍ତ୍ରୀରେ ସଦା ଆସକ୍ତ କାମପ୍ରବୀଣ—ତେଣୁ ମୁଁ ତାକୁ ଶାପ ଦେବାକୁ ପ୍ରବୃତ୍ତ ହେଲି।

Word by Word

• pākhaṇḍinaḥ: heretics/sectarians
• pākhaṇḍinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pākhaṇḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• durjana-pāpa-śīlāḥ: of sinful wicked nature
• durjana-pāpa-śīlāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durjana (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); bahu-member tatpuruṣa: 'having the nature of wickedness/sin of bad people'

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), 'having seen'

• dvijam: a brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
• dvijam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• proddhata-niṃdakāḥ: arrogant slanderers
• proddhata-niṃdakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: proddhata (प्रातिपदिक; from pra+ud+√dhā/√dham? used adjectivally 'arrogant') + niṃdaka (प्रातिपदिक; from √nind कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); 'arrogant revilers'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• vadhvām: regarding the bride/wife
• vadhvām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); 'in/with regard to the bride/wife'

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक)

• āsakta-rati-pravīṇaḥ: skilled in pleasure, always attached
• āsakta-rati-pravīṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āsakta (√sañj/√as?; past participle used as adj. 'attached') + rati (प्रातिपदिक) + pravīṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); describing speaker

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तस्मात्-निपातवत्), 'therefore/from that'

• amum: that one (him)
• amum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• śaptum: to curse
• śaptum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śap (शप् धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), 'to curse'

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pravṛttaḥ: have proceeded/undertaken
• pravṛttaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vṛt (वृत् धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'having set out/engaged'

Speaker

An offended brāhmaṇa/ṛṣi (narrated within Sūta’s discourse in Rudra Saṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It highlights how pāśa (bondage) manifests as arrogance, slander, and uncontrolled desire—forces that drag the jīva away from śiva-dharma; the verse warns that such conduct ripens into painful karmic consequences.

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is tied to inner purity (śauca) and restraint; slander and lust oppose the bhāva needed for Saguna Shiva devotion, so the narrative uses moral consequence (a curse) to reinforce devotional discipline.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter nindā and kāma with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), wearing rudrākṣa with right conduct, and applying tripuṇḍra-bhasma as a daily reminder of detachment and purity.