Shloka 21

सत्यप्रतिज्ञा-तपःसंवादः

Pārvatī’s Vow of Truth and the Dialogue on Her Tapas

Devanagari script

दत्त्वा सुवर्णमुद्रां च ग्रहीतुं काचमिच्छसि । हित्वा च चंदनं शुभ्रं कर्दमं लेप्तुमिच्छसि

Transliteration

dattvā suvarṇamudrāṃ ca grahītuṃ kācamicchasi | hitvā ca caṃdanaṃ śubhraṃ kardamaṃ leptumicchasi

Translation

Selbst nachdem du eine Goldmünze gegeben hast, willst du doch nur gewöhnliches Glas nehmen. Reines, weißes Sandelholz verlassend, begehrst du, dich mit Schlamm zu beschmieren.

Word by Word

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल

• सुवर्णमुद्राम्: a gold coin/seal
• सुवर्णमुद्राम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of dattvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्राय): ‘सुवर्णस्य मुद्रा/सुवर्ण-मुद्रा’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ग्रहीतुम्: to take
• ग्रहीतुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), प्रयोजन (purpose)

• काचम्: glass
• काचम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of grahītum)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इच्छसि: you desire
• इच्छसि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हित्वा: having abandoned
• हित्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• चन्दनम्: sandalwood
• चन्दनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of hitvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शुभ्रम्: white/pure
• शुभ्रम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of candanam)

• कर्दमम्: mud
• कर्दमम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of leptum)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लेप्तुम्: to smear/apply
• लेप्तुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), प्रयोजन

• इच्छसि: you desire
• इच्छसि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The verse functions as a viveka-teaching: do not exchange Śiva-bhakti/śiva-jñāna (parama-artha) for fleeting sense-objects (apara-artha). Pilgrimage value here is internal—turning from māyā’s ‘glass’ to the ‘gold’ of Pati.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches viveka (discernment): rejecting the supreme, purifying grace of Shiva for inferior worldly substitutes is like preferring glass to gold and mud to sandalwood—an image of bondage (pāśa) chosen over liberation (mokṣa).

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

Linga-worship represents choosing the highest refuge—Shiva as Pati—over transient gains; the verse criticizes turning away from that sacred, purifying focus toward impure and impermanent attachments.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt purity-oriented Shaiva practice: steady bhakti with the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and sattvic discipline, choosing what elevates consciousness rather than what “smears” the mind with worldly mire.