Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 3

सत्याः पुनस्तपश्चर्या — Satī’s Return to Austerity (Tapas) and Fearless Liṅga-Worship

Devanagari script

ततः स्वपितरं दृष्ट्वा मातरं च तयोर्गृहे । प्रणम्य वृत्तं विज्ञाप्य ताभ्यां चानुमता सती

Transliteration

tataḥ svapitaraṃ dṛṣṭvā mātaraṃ ca tayorgṛhe | praṇamya vṛttaṃ vijñāpya tābhyāṃ cānumatā satī

Translation

ثم إنّ ساتي لمّا رأت أباها وأمّها في بيتهما، سجدت لهما، وأخبرتهما بما جرى؛ ولمّا نالت رضاهما وإذنهما مضت تعمل على وفق ذلك.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘thereupon/then’

• स्व: own
• स्व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-स्वरूप/सर्वनाम-विशेषण; ‘own’; (here in compound-like usage with पितरम्)

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having seen’

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तयोः: of those two (parents)
• तयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having bowed’

• वृत्तम्: the account; what happened
• वृत्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विज्ञाप्य: having informed
• विज्ञाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having informed’

• ताभ्याम्: by those two; by them (both)
• ताभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अनुमता: permitted; approved
• अनुमता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-√मन्/मन् (धातु) → अनुमत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सती)

• सती: Satī
• सती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (सती)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Sati

FAQs

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

It highlights dharmic conduct—Satī acts with humility, offers respect to her parents, and communicates truthfully before proceeding, reflecting the Shaiva ideal that devotion is expressed through right action and inner purity.

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

Though the Linga is not named here, Satī’s reverence and clarity of intention exemplify Saguna-bhakti: honoring relationships and duties as part of devotion to Shiva, the Pati (Lord) who upholds dharma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse implicitly teaches praṇāma (bowing) and satya-vākya (truthful reporting) as preparatory disciplines; a devotee may pair this with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to steady intention before any vow or worship.