Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 55
वीरभद्रक्रोधशमनं देवस्तुतिश्च
Pacification of Vīrabhadra and the Gods’ Hymn
इति सुरानभिधाय सुरेश्वरो निकृतदक्षकृतक्रतुरक्रतुः । सगिरिजानुचरस्सपरिच्छदः स्थित इवाम्बरतोन्तरधाद्धरः
iti surānabhidhāya sureśvaro nikṛtadakṣakṛtakraturakratuḥ | sagirijānucarassaparicchadaḥ sthita ivāmbaratontaradhāddharaḥ
Tendo assim falado aos deuses, o Senhor dos devas—Aquele que está além de todo sacrifício (akratu) e, contudo, arruinara o rito sacrificial de Dakṣa—Hara (Śiva) desapareceu do céu. Acompanhado pelos servidores de Girijā e por sua comitiva, Dhara (Śiva) pareceu permanecer um instante nas alturas e então sumiu.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Rudra
Sthala Purana: Alludes to the Dakṣa-yajña episode: Śiva, ‘akratu’ (beyond ritual obligation), nevertheless destroys Dakṣa’s sacrifice to reassert true dharma and devotion over mere ritualism.
Significance: Reinforces that Śiva transcends ritual yet sanctifies it when aligned with devotion; pilgrims are urged to combine outer rites with inner humility.
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: nurturing
FAQs
The verse highlights Śiva as “akratu”—transcendent to ritual obligation—showing that liberation depends on grace and right devotion, not on ego-driven ceremonial power. Dakṣa’s ruined yajña becomes a lesson that pride and disrespect toward Pati (the Lord) render outer rites spiritually barren.
Śiva’s disappearance after addressing the devas underscores His sovereignty: He is approachable in Saguna form for devotees, yet remains beyond all rites as Akratu. Linga-worship embodies this—aniconic transcendence with accessible presence—uniting reverence, humility, and surrender.
The takeaway is to prioritize bhakti with humility: repeat the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” offer simple Linga-pūjā (water, bilva), and cultivate inner purity (śuddhi) rather than relying on status-based ritualism; Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa can be adopted as reminders of Śiva’s supremacy and detachment.