Shloka 21

गौतमविघ्नप्रकरणम्

Episode of Obstacles to Gautama; Gaṇeśa’s Appearing Through Misguided Worship

Devanagari script

इदानीं वै भवद्भिश्च तस्मै दुःखं प्रदीयते । नेतद्युक्ततमं लोके सर्वथा सुविचार्यताम्

Transliteration

idānīṃ vai bhavadbhiśca tasmai duḥkhaṃ pradīyate | netadyuktatamaṃ loke sarvathā suvicāryatām

Translation

At this moment, by your actions, suffering is being inflicted upon him. This is not at all the most fitting course in this world—reflect on it thoroughly in every way.

Word by Word

• idānīm: now
• idānīm: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: idānīm (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; temporal adverb (इदानीम्—अधुना)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Nipāta (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक)

• bhavadbhiḥ: by you (all)
• bhavadbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Agent-instrument; doer in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine; honorific ‘you’), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (Pronoun), Caturthī vibhakti (Dative/4th), Ekavacana (Singular)

• duḥkham: sorrow
• duḥkham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana (Singular)

• pradīyate: is given
• pradīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + dā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present/वर्तमान), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Ātmanepada; Karmaṇi-prayoga (Passive/कर्मणि)

• na: not
• na: Nipāta (निपात/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (Pronoun), Napuṃsakaliṅga (Neuter), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

• yuktatamam: most proper
• yuktatamam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta-tama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (Neuter), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular); superlative (तमप्)

• loke: in the world
• loke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location-domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana (Singular)

• sarvathā: in every way
• sarvathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (सर्वथा—सर्वप्रकारेण)

• suvicāryatām: let it be well-considered
• suvicāryatām: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: su + vi + car (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Ātmanepada; Karmaṇi-prayoga (Passive/कर्मणि)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana; verse framed as ethical counsel within the Kotirudra narrative)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

FAQs

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

It teaches that causing another’s suffering is adharma and obstructs inner purity; careful reflection (viveka) and compassionate restraint align the seeker with Shiva’s grace and the Shaiva path toward liberation.

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

Linga-worship is not only ritual but also ethical alignment: devotion to Saguna Shiva is fulfilled when the devotee avoids cruelty and acts with dharmic discernment, making the heart a fit seat for Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily self-review before worship—recite the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with repentance for harm, resolve to practice ahiṁsā, and offer the worship with a steadied, compassionate mind.