Shloka 34

Adhyaya 63: Daksha’s Progeny, Kashyapa’s Offspring, and the Rishi-Vamshas that Sustain the Worlds

Devanagari script

कद्रूः सहस्रशिरसां सहस्रं प्राप सुव्रता प्रधानास्तेषु विख्याताः षड्विंशतिरनुत्तमाः

Transliteration

kadrūḥ sahasraśirasāṃ sahasraṃ prāpa suvratā pradhānāsteṣu vikhyātāḥ ṣaḍviṃśatiranuttamāḥ

Translation

कद्रूः सुव्रता सहस्रशिरसां सर्पाणां सहस्रं प्राप; तेषु षड्विंशतिः प्रधानाः विख्याताः अनुत्तमाः।

Word by Word

• कद्रूः (kadrūḥ): Kadrū

• सहस्रशिरसाम् (sahasraśirasām): of the thousand-hooded/ thousand-headed serpents

• सहस्रम् (sahasram): a thousand

• प्राप (prāpa): obtained/gave birth to

• सुव्रता (suvratā): the virtuous one, of excellent vows

• प्रधानाः (pradhānāḥ): chief, foremost

• तेषु (teṣu): among them

• विख्याताः (vikhyātāḥ): renowned, celebrated

• षड्विंशतिः (ṣaḍviṃśatiḥ): twenty-six

• अनुत्तमाः (anuttamāḥ): unsurpassed, excellent

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Kadrū
• Nāgas
• Serpents (Sarpas)

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It situates Linga Purana’s Shaiva teaching within a full cosmology: even nāga lineages arise through ordered creation under Pati (Shiva), supporting Linga worship as reverence for the Lord who upholds all classes of beings.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Indirectly, by presenting a structured emanation of beings and their hierarchies, it reflects Shiva-tattva as Pati—the supreme governor whose cosmic order accommodates countless forms (including nāgas) while remaining unsurpassed.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No specific puja-vidhi is stated; the takeaway is contemplative: in Pashupata orientation, one observes creation’s gradations (pashu-bheda) and turns inward to the Linga—the sign of Pati beyond all enumerations.