Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

दक्षयज्ञदर्शनम् — The Vision of Dakṣa’s Great Sacrifice

and the Onset of Vīrabhadra’s Terror

Devanagari script

तेन शब्देन महताः ग्रस्ता सर्वेदिवौकसः । दुद्रुवुः परितो भीताः स्रस्तवस्त्रविभूषणाः

Transliteration

tena śabdena mahatāḥ grastā sarvedivaukasaḥ | dudruvuḥ parito bhītāḥ srastavastravibhūṣaṇāḥ

Translation

ด้วยเสียงอันมหึมานั้น เหล่าเทวะทั้งปวงถูกครอบงำจนหวาดหวั่น ต่างแตกตื่นหนีไปทุกทิศ เสื้อผ้าและเครื่องประดับหลุดหลวมเลื่อนคลายเพราะความตระหนก

Word by Word

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (करण) / Instrument
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शब्देन: by the sound
• शब्देन: Karana (करण) / Instrument
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• महतā: great/mighty
• महतā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of 'शब्देन')

• ग्रस्ताः: seized/overwhelmed
• ग्रस्ताः: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate of 'दिवौकसः')
• Type: Verb
• Root: gras (धातु) → grasta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भावे—'overwhelmed/seized'

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण) of 'दिवौकसः'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• दिवौकसः: the gods/heaven-dwellers
• दिवौकसः: Karta (कर्ता) / Subject
• Type: Noun
• Root: div (प्रातिपदिक) + okas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'दिवि ओकः येषाम्' (heaven-dwellers)

• दुद्रुवुः: ran away/fled
• दुद्रुवुः: Kriya (क्रिया) / Main verb
• Type: Verb
• Root: dru (धातु) → दुद्रुवुः
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• परितः: all around
• परितः: Desha-avyaya (देशवाचक अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paritas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) 'all around/on all sides'

• भीताः: frightened
• भीताः: Visheshana (विशेषण) of 'दिवौकसः'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhī (धातु) → bhīta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• स्रस्त-वस्त्र-विभूषणाः: with loosened garments and ornaments
• स्रस्त-वस्त्र-विभूषणाः: Visheshana (विशेषण) of 'दिवौकसः'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: srasta (कृदन्त) + vastra (प्रातिपदिक) + vibhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'स्रस्ते वस्त्रे विभूषणे च येषाम्' (whose garments and ornaments had slipped/come loose)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Devas’ loss of composure under a supra-cosmic sound (portent of divine intervention).

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

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

It depicts how even celestial powers become shaken when confronted with overwhelming divine force; in Shaiva Siddhanta this highlights the smallness of bound souls (paśu) before the Lord (Pati) and the need to move from fear to surrender and devotion.

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

The verse shows the gods reacting to a manifest, perceivable power—an aspect of Saguna presence. Linga-worship trains the mind to recognize Shiva’s supreme reality expressed through a tangible symbol, replacing panic with reverent steadiness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") to stabilize the mind when fear arises, along with cultivating inner refuge in Shiva through simple daily worship (dhyana and offering) rather than reacting with agitation.