Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5

शङ्खचूडवधकथनम् / The Account of Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Slaying

Devanagari script

दक्षः प्रीत्या ददौ तस्मै निजकन्यास्त्रयोदश । तासां प्रसूतिः प्रसभं न कथ्या बहुविस्तृताः

Transliteration

dakṣaḥ prītyā dadau tasmai nijakanyāstrayodaśa | tāsāṃ prasūtiḥ prasabhaṃ na kathyā bahuvistṛtāḥ

Translation

达叉（Dakṣa）心中欢喜，便将自己十三位女儿赐与他。由她们所生的后裔浩瀚无边，细节繁多，实难尽述。

Word by Word

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• प्रीत्या: out of affection
• प्रीत्या: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/हेतु), एकवचन

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• निजकन्याः: his own daughters
• निजकन्याः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nija-kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (निजा कन्याः)

• त्रयोदश: thirteen
• त्रयोदश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: trayodaśa (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे (agreeing with कन्याः); द्विगु-समास (त्रयः + दश)

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• प्रसूतिः: progeny, offspring (account)
• प्रसूतिः: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasūti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रसभम्: in detail, extensively
• प्रसभम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prasabham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: excessively/at length)

• न: not
• न: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• कथ्या: is not to be narrated
• कथ्या: Kriyā (क्रियावाच्य-भाव्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: विधेय-विशेषणरूप कृदन्त; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/भाव्य); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘कथयितुं योग्य/उचिता’ (to be told)

• बहुविस्तृताः: very extensive
• बहुविस्तृताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu-vistṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (implied subject: (कथाः/वृत्तान्ताः)); कर्मधारयः (बहु विस्तृताः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Daksha

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how worldly expansion—lineage, progeny, and social continuity—can be immeasurable, yet Shaiva teaching points beyond such vastness to Pati (Shiva), the transcendent Lord who grants liberation from the endless spread of saṁsāra.

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

By stressing the immeasurable proliferation of creation, the text implicitly contrasts it with the steadiness of Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—which centers the devotee on Shiva as the stable refuge amid ever-expanding worldly multiplicity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī—"Om Namaḥ Śivāya"—to cultivate detachment and inward focus; offering bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) remembrance can reinforce the insight that all expansive worldly outcomes are transient.