Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 47

शुक्रनिग्रहः — The Seizure/Neutralization of Śukra (Kāvya) and the Daityas’ Despondency

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । इति स्तुत्वा शिवं शुक्रः पुनर्नत्वा शिवाज्ञया । विवेश दानवानीकं मेघमालां यथा शशी

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | iti stutvā śivaṃ śukraḥ punarnatvā śivājñayā | viveśa dānavānīkaṃ meghamālāṃ yathā śaśī

Translation

สนัตกุมารกล่าวว่า—เมื่อศุกรสรรเสริญพระศิวะดังนี้แล้ว ก็กราบนอบน้อมอีกครั้ง และด้วยพระบัญชาของพระศิวะ เขาได้เข้าสู่กองทัพแห่งทานวะ ดุจดวงจันทร์เลื่อนลับเข้าไปในหมู่เมฆ.

Word by Word

• सनत्-कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्-कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात, अव्यय

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शुक्रः: Śukra
• शुक्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb), अव्यय

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund)

• शिव-आज्ञया: by Śiva’s command
• शिव-आज्ञया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘शिवस्य आज्ञा’

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• दानव-अनीकम्: the demon army
• दानव-अनीकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + अनीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘दानवानाम् अनीकम्’

• मेघ-मालाम्: a garland/mass of clouds
• मेघ-मालाम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘मेघानां माला’

• यथा: as / like
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-प्रदर्शक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• शशी: the moon
• शशी: Upameya (उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shukra (Shukracharya)
• Danavas

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) whose command governs all events; even a powerful teacher like Śukra acts only after praise, humility, and receiving Śiva’s sanction—showing that grace and obedience to divine will precede effective action.

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

Śukra’s stuti (praise) and repeated namaskāra reflect Saguna Śiva-upāsanā—approaching Śiva as the personal Lord who hears, commands, and directs. In Linga worship, devotees similarly offer stotra and prostration, seeking Śiva’s ājñā/anugraha before undertaking worldly or spiritual aims.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to begin undertakings with Śiva-stuti and namaskāra—optionally while wearing rudrākṣa and applying tripuṇḍra bhasma—and to repeat the Panchākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) seeking alignment with Śivājñā (divine guidance).