Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 52

दधीच-शाप-हेतु-वर्णनम् / The Cause of Dadhīca’s Curse

Explaining Viṣṇu’s Role at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

दिव्येन दर्शनेनैव दृष्ट्वा देवं जनार्दनम् । तुष्टाव वाग्भिरिष्टाभिः प्रणम्य गरुडध्वजम्

Transliteration

divyena darśanenaiva dṛṣṭvā devaṃ janārdanam | tuṣṭāva vāgbhiriṣṭābhiḥ praṇamya garuḍadhvajam

Translation

ด้วยนิมิตทิพย์เขาได้เห็นพระชนา́รทนะ แล้วก้มกราบพระผู้มีธงครุฑ และสรรเสริญเทวะนั้นด้วยถ้อยคำอันเป็นที่รักและเหมาะสม

Word by Word

• divyena: by the divine
• divyena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying darśanena)

• darśanena: by (that) vision
• darśanena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (restrictive/emphatic particle)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु) → dṛṣṭvā (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/क्त्वा), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• devam: the god
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• janārdanam: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• janārdanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana+ardana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘afflicter/dispeller of people’s distress’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tuṣṭāva: praised
• tuṣṭāva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stu (स्तु धातु) with prefix tuṣṭāva (irregular perfect of √stu)
• Form: लिट् लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• vāgbhiḥ: with words
• vāgbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• iṣṭābhiḥ: with dear/pleasing (words)
• iṣṭābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: iṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; PPP of √iṣ ‘to desire’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying vāgbhiḥ)

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+√nam (नम् धातु) → praṇamya (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/ल्यप्), पूर्वकाल

• garuḍadhvajam: the Garuḍa-bannered (Lord)
• garuḍadhvajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa+dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; continues the darśana-to-stuti devotional sequence, highlighting proper response to divine epiphany: praṇāma and stotra.

Significance: Models bhakti etiquette (darśana → praṇāma → stuti). In the chapter’s larger Śaiva arc, it also shows that even successful recourse to other deities remains within Śiva’s overarching governance.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Janardana)
• Garuda

FAQs

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

It highlights that true spiritual progress begins with divya-darśana (grace-born inner vision) and is completed through humility (praṇāma) and sincere stuti—devotion expressed through purified speech.

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

Though the verse names Viṣṇu, the Shiva Purana often teaches harmony among deities: reverent praise of a saguna form after darśana mirrors how devotees approach Śiva’s Liṅga—first receiving presence, then offering prayer and surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice darśana-bhāvanā (visualizing the Lord with steadiness), followed by praṇāma and stotra-japa; in Shaiva practice this naturally aligns with chanting “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a focused mind and reverent speech.