Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

सर्वापद्भ्यः पालयिता गोपतिस्तु पशूनिव । गृहीतदंडो दुष्टांस्तान् मर्यादापरिपालकः

Transliteration

sarvāpadbhyaḥ pālayitā gopatistu paśūniva | gṛhītadaṃḍo duṣṭāṃstān maryādāparipālakaḥ

Translation

Ngài là Đấng che chở khỏi mọi tai ương, là Chúa tể và người gìn giữ muôn loài, như người chăn bò bảo vệ đàn bò. Tay cầm gậy kỷ luật, Ngài chế ngự kẻ ác và giữ gìn trật tự chính pháp cùng các giới hạn thiêng liêng.

Word by Word

• sarva-āpadbhyaḥ: from all calamities
• sarva-āpadbhyaḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (सर्व) + āpad (आपद् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Ablative Plural (पञ्चमी बहुवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘all’ + ‘calamities’

• pālayitā: protector
• pālayitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāl (पाल् धातु) + tṛ (तृच्/तृ प्रत्यय)
• Form: Agent noun (तृच्-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative Singular (प्रथमा एकवचन); ‘protector’

• gopatiḥ: lord of cattle
• gopatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (गो प्रातिपदिक) + pati (पति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative Singular (प्रथमा एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: ‘of cows’ + ‘lord’

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक)

• paśūn: animals, cattle
• paśūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (पशु प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative Plural (द्वितीया बहुवचन)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamana-dyotaka (उपमानद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable simile marker (अव्यय; उपमा)

• gṛhīta-daṇḍaḥ: having taken up the staff (of punishment)
• gṛhīta-daṇḍaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: grah (ग्रह् धातु) + kta (क्त) + daṇḍa (दण्ड प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative Singular (प्रथमा एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: ‘one whose staff/punishment is taken up’

• duṣṭān: wicked
• duṣṭān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa (दुष्ट प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative Plural (द्वितीया बहुवचन); qualifies tān

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative Plural (द्वितीया बहुवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• maryādā-paripālakaḥ: upholder of proper limits/law
• maryādā-paripālakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maryādā (मर्यादा प्रातिपदिक) + pari-√pāl (परि+पाल् धातु) + aka (अक प्रत्यय)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative Singular (प्रथमा एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: ‘of boundary/law’ + ‘maintainer’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: maintenance of dharma through divine guardianship and punitive restraint of adharma

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Shiva as Pati—the compassionate guardian who protects souls from outer and inner calamities, while also correcting wrongdoing so that dharma and the path to liberation remain intact.

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

In Linga/Saguna worship, devotees approach Shiva as the accessible Lord who both shelters and disciplines—granting protection (anugraha) and restraining harmful tendencies—thereby restoring sacred order in life and mind.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a vow of self-restraint (niyama), combined with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder to uphold maryādā (right conduct).