Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

दक्षयज्ञ-प्रसङ्गे देवतानां आश्वासनं तथा दण्डविधानम् | Consolation of the Devas and the Ordinance of Consequences in the Dakṣa-Yajña Episode

Devanagari script

रुद्रस्तदा ददर्शाथ वीरभद्रेण यत्कृतम् । प्रध्वंसं तं क्रतोस्तत्र देवर्षीणां विशेषतः

Transliteration

rudrastadā dadarśātha vīrabhadreṇa yatkṛtam | pradhvaṃsaṃ taṃ kratostatra devarṣīṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ

Translation

ครั้นนั้นพระรุทระทอดพระเนตรความพินาศที่วีรภัทรกระทำไว้ ณ ที่นั้น—ยัญนั้นถูกทำลายสิ้น และโดยเฉพาะเหล่าฤๅษีทิพย์ที่อยู่ในพิธีต่างตกอยู่ในความอัปยศและโกลาหล

Word by Word

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, temporal adverb (कालवाचक)

• dadarśa: saw
• dadarśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• atha: then/thereupon
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, discourse particle (अनन्तरार्थक/आरम्भसूचक)

• vīrabhadreṇa: by Vīrabhadra
• vīrabhadreṇa: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrabhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• yat: which/that
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृतम् इति विशेष्य

• kṛtam: done/made
• kṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• pradhvaṃsam: destruction
• pradhvaṃsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradhvaṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रध्वंसम् इति विशेष्य

• kratoḥ: of the sacrifice
• kratoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kratu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, locative adverb (देशवाचक)

• devarṣīṇām: of the divine sages
• devarṣīṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारयवत्/विशेषण-विशेष्य): देव-ऋषि; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, adverb (विशेषार्थक)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Dakṣa-yajña devastation is a paradigmatic Purāṇic ‘anti-yajña’ teaching: when Pati is excluded, the sacrificial order collapses; later reconciliation restores cosmic balance.

Significance: Contemplation of Śiva’s saṃhāra as corrective justice and dharma-restoration; a warning against ritual pride (ahaṅkāra).

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Rudra)
• Virabhadra
• Devarshis

FAQs

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

It shows Rudra’s oversight of cosmic justice: yajña without devotion and humility becomes empty, and ego-centered religiosity is dissolved so that true dharma—rooted in surrender to Pati (Śiva)—can be restored.

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

The episode contrasts external ritual power with inner devotion: Saguna Śiva, as Rudra, reveals that worship (including Linga-pūjā) must be offered with reverence and right attitude, not as a display of status or pride.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to purify intention before worship—apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) with remembrance of Śiva, and repeat the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to dissolve ego and align ritual with devotion.