Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40

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

Explaining Viṣṇu’s Role at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वा स्वप्रभुं शंभुं स मुमोद मुनीश्वरः । प्रणम्य विधिवद्भक्त्या तुष्टाव सुकृतांजलिः

Transliteration

taṃ dṛṣṭvā svaprabhuṃ śaṃbhuṃ sa mumoda munīśvaraḥ | praṇamya vidhivadbhaktyā tuṣṭāva sukṛtāṃjaliḥ

Translation

اپنے رب شَمبھو کو دیکھ کر مُنی اِشور بہت خوش ہوا۔ اس نے رسم کے مطابق بھکتی سے پرنام کیا، ہاتھ جوڑ کر ادب سے اُس کی ستوتی کی۔

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having seen’

• स्वप्रभुम्: his own lord
• स्वप्रभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; ‘स्वस्य प्रभुः’

• शंभुम्: Śambhu
• शंभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• मुमोद: rejoiced
• मुमोद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मुनीश्वरः: lord among sages
• मुनीश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘मुनीनां ईश्वरः’

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having bowed’

• विधिवत्: duly/according to rite
• विधिवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: according to rule)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; (स्तु→तुष्टाव, परस्मैपद-परफेक्ट रूप)

• सुकृताञ्जलिः: with well-joined palms
• सुकृताञ्जलिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-कृत-अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता-विशेषण), एकवचन; ‘सु-कृतः अञ्जलिः यस्य’ (well-formed folded hands)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Models the ideal devotee-response to darśana: ānanda (rejoicing), praṇāma, and stuti—core behaviors of tīrtha-yātrā and temple worship.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that true spiritual response to Śiva-darśana is inner joy (ānanda), humility (praṇāma), and heartfelt praise (stuti). In Shaiva thought, such vidhivat-bhakti aligns the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati), loosening bondage (pāśa) through devotion and surrender.

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

It reflects Saguna worship: approaching Śambhu as the personal Lord, offering respectful namaskāra and añjali, and praising Him. The same devotional posture applies in Liṅga-pūjā—meeting Śiva through form, reverence, and stuti—so the mind becomes fit for grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests vidhivat upacāra in brief: bowing/prostration, añjali-mudrā, and verbal praise or mantra-japa. A practical takeaway is to begin Śiva-pūjā with namaskāra and then recite a Śiva-stuti or the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady devotion.