Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 44

कैलासगमनं कुबेरसख्यं च — Śiva’s Journey to Kailāsa and His Friendship with Kubera

Devanagari script

अद्यावधि त्वया विप्र दुरोदर शिरोमणिः । कथं नाज्ञायि तनयोऽविनयानयकोविदः

Transliteration

adyāvadhi tvayā vipra durodara śiromaṇiḥ | kathaṃ nājñāyi tanayo'vinayānayakovidaḥ

Translation

ஓ விப்ரரே, இன்றுவரை நீ சூதாடிகளுள் தலைசிறந்தவன். அப்படியிருக்க, பிறரை ஒழுக்கக்கேடும் அழிவும் நோக்கி இட்டுச் செல்ல வல்ல உன் சொந்த மகனை எப்படி அறியாமல் போனாய்?

Word by Word

• adya-avadhi: until today / up to now
• adya-avadhi: Kāla (काल/Time adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय) + avadhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (adverbial compound) ‘from today/until now’

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Kartr̥/Hetu (कर्ता/हेतु—agent/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• vipra: O Brahmin
• vipra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• durodara: O pot-bellied one (insult)
• durodara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dur-udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (bad + belly) used as abusive address

• śiromaṇiḥ: crest-jewel / foremost
• śiromaṇiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śirasaḥ maṇiḥ ‘crest-jewel’)

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• ajñāyi: was known/recognized
• ajñāyi: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive) ‘was known/was recognized’

• tanayaḥ: son
• tanayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• avinaya-ānaya-kovidaḥ: skilled at causing misbehavior
• avinaya-ānaya-kovidaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vinaya (प्रातिपदिक) + ānaya (प्रातिपदिक) + kovida (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (avinayasya ānaye kovidaḥ ‘skilled in bringing about misconduct’); विशेषण of tanayaḥ

Speaker

Brahmā (narrating within the Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa dialogue)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

FAQs

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

It highlights how entrenched vice (like gambling) dulls discernment, so one fails to recognize even obvious wrongdoing; in Shaiva terms, such avinaya strengthens pāśa (bondage) and obstructs the soul’s return to Pati (Shiva).

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

By contrasting moral blindness with right discernment, it implicitly points to Saguna Shiva worship as a purifier of conduct—devotion and discipline refine buddhi, making one recognize and abandon adharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with self-restraint (niyama) to curb addictive tendencies and restore clarity and dharmic judgment.