Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 37

कामशापानुग्रहः (Kāmaśāpānugraha) — “The Curse and Grace Concerning Kāma”

Devanagari script

जातो वियद्गतश्शंभुर्विधिं दृष्ट्वा तथाविधम् । मां दक्षाद्यांश्च मनसा जहासोपजहास च

Transliteration

jāto viyadgataśśaṃbhurvidhiṃ dṛṣṭvā tathāvidham | māṃ dakṣādyāṃśca manasā jahāsopajahāsa ca

Translation

圣主商布显现而行于虚空，见梵天（毗提）处于那般情状，便在心中暗自发笑——自对自身含笑——也对我与达刹等诸人一并如此。

Word by Word

• जातः: having become
• जातः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (PPP) from √जन्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शंभु-विशेषणम् (having become/being)

• वियत्-गतः: gone into the sky
• वियत्-गतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वियत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त from √गम्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘वियत् (आकाशम्) गतः’

• शंभुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विधिम्: Brahmā (Vidhi)
• विधिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुषङ्ग)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having seen’

• तथा-विदम्: such (in that state)
• तथा-विदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तथा (अव्यय) + विद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तथा (एवम्) विदम्’ = ‘of such a kind’—विधिम्-विशेषणम्

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दक्ष-आद्यान्: Dakṣa and others
• दक्ष-आद्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘दक्षः आदिः येषाम्’ (Dakṣa and others)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• मनसा: with (his) mind
• मनसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण (instrument): ‘with the mind’

• जहास: laughed
• जहास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• उपजहास: smiled/laughed slightly
• उपजहास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-हस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्ग उप- (slightly/derisively)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana account to the sages, describing Shiva’s response)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; depicts Śiva’s inward smile at the deluded state of Brahmā and Dakṣa—an implicit commentary on māyā and ego.

Significance: Teaches discernment: even exalted beings can fall under pāśa (kāma/ahaṅkāra); Śiva’s ‘smile’ signals both concealment and impending correction.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Daksha

FAQs

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

Shiva’s inward laughter indicates His transcendence over ego, status, and self-importance; from a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, it points to Pati’s sovereign clarity while bound beings (pashu) remain influenced by pride and misunderstanding.

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

It frames Shiva as Saguna (Śambhu acting in the world) yet inwardly established in the transcendent; Linga-worship trains the devotee to move from external rank and rivalry to inner surrender to Shiva as the supreme reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice humble japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Tripuṇḍra and a calm inward gaze, replacing judgment and pride with Shiva-centered awareness (smaraṇa) and gentle detachment.