Shloka 1

Ghuśmā–Sudehā: Jealousy, Household Honor, and the Ethics of Śaiva Merit (गुश्मा–सुदेहा प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । पुत्रं दृष्ट्वा कनिष्ठाया ज्येष्ठा दुःखमुपागता । विरोधं सा चकाराशु न सहंती च तत्सुखम्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | putraṃ dṛṣṭvā kaniṣṭhāyā jyeṣṭhā duḥkhamupāgatā | virodhaṃ sā cakārāśu na sahaṃtī ca tatsukham

Translation

Sūta said: Seeing that the younger (wife/sister) had borne a son, the elder was overcome with sorrow. Unable to endure that happiness, she swiftly stirred up opposition.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• कनिष्ठायाः: of the younger (wife/sister)
• कनिष्ठायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ज्येष्ठा: the elder (wife/sister)
• ज्येष्ठा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• दुःखम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उपागता: attained / came to
• उपागता: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having come to/attained’

• विरोधम्: opposition, hostility
• विरोधम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Pronoun)

• चकार: did / made
• चकार: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (Negation particle)

• सहन्ती: tolerating
• सहन्ती: Karta (कर्ता/Agent, participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सह् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘tolerating/enduring’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (Conjunction)

• तत्-सुखम्: that happiness
• तत्-सुखम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive determinative): ‘of that’ + ‘happiness’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how jealousy and intolerance of another’s good fortune disturb the mind and generate adharma; Shaiva teaching emphasizes inner purification so bhakti to Shiva can arise without envy.

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

In Jyotirlinga-centered narratives, outer pilgrimage is supported by inner discipline; devotion to Saguna Shiva (Linga) is considered fruitful when the heart is free from hostility, replacing rivalry with reverence and surrender.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchakshara mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") to calm envy and cultivate śiva-bhāva; if observing Shaiva vrata, maintain mental purity alongside external worship such as bhasma and rudraksha.