Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

यत्र क्षिप्तानि लिंगानि घुश्मया नित्यमेव हि । तत्र क्षिप्त्वा समायाता सुष्वाप सुखमागता

Transliteration

yatra kṣiptāni liṃgāni ghuśmayā nityameva hi | tatra kṣiptvā samāyātā suṣvāpa sukhamāgatā

Translation

“Wherever Ghuśmā would daily cast the (worshipped) liṅgas, there she went and cast them again; having returned, she slept, having attained ease and peace.”

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• क्षिप्तानि: thrown
• क्षिप्तानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षिप्त (प्रातिपदिक; √क्षिप् + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• लिङ्गानि: liṅgas (emblems)
• लिङ्गानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• घुश्मया: by Ghuśmā
• घुश्मया: Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घुश्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; कर्तृकरण/करण (instrumental: by Ghuśmā)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala/Pravritti (काल/प्रवृत्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial accusative used as indeclinable)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थ-निपात (particle: for/indeed)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• क्षिप्त्वा: having thrown
• क्षिप्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; अर्थ: ‘having thrown’

• समायाता: returned/arrived
• समायाता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: सम्-आ-; ‘having come back/arrived’

• सुष्वाप: slept
• सुष्वाप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सुखम्: comfortably/with ease
• सुखम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative: comfortably)

• आगता: having come
• आगता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: आ-

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kotirudra Samhita account to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Ghṛṣṇeśvara

Sthala Purana: The lake is explicitly identified as the immersion-place of Ghuśmā’s daily fashioned and worshipped liṅgas; the murderer chooses that very locus to hide the crime, setting the stage for Śiva’s later revelation and restoration at the same tīrtha.

Significance: Merit of steadfast daily liṅga-pūjā; purification of karma and protection of the devotee’s dharma even when worldly justice fails.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ghuśmā (Ghushma)

FAQs

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

It highlights niyama (steady daily observance) in Śiva-bhakti: consistent Linga-oriented devotion brings inner calm (sukha) and a settled mind, indicating grace arising from disciplined worship.

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

The liṅga functions as the accessible saguna focus for devotion—through repeated, faithful offering to the liṅga, the devotee’s heart becomes purified and receptive to Śiva’s anugraha (grace).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple daily Linga-pūjā performed with regularity—optionally supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and maintaining a calm, surrendered mind after worship.