Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

यदि नो रक्षिता शंभुरीश्वरः प्रभुरेकलः । मालाकार इवासौ यान्युङ्क्ते तान्वियुनक्ति च

Transliteration

yadi no rakṣitā śaṃbhurīśvaraḥ prabhurekalaḥ | mālākāra ivāsau yānyuṅkte tānviyunakti ca

Translation

If Śambhu, the one and only Lord, is our protector, then—like a garland-maker—He joins together whom He wills, and He also separates them again.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• नः: our/of us
• नः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-बहुवचन (Genitive/Dative plural) एन्क्लिटिक रूप; अत्र रक्षिता-सम्बन्धे षष्ठी (our)

• रक्षिता: protector
• रक्षिता: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तरि तृ-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शंभुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुः: कर्ता (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ईश्वरः: the Lord
• ईश्वरः: कर्ता (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रभुः: the master
• प्रभुः: कर्ता (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एकलः: alone/sole
• एकलः: विशेषण (Adjective of प्रभुः/ईश्वरः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मालाकारः: a garland-maker
• मालाकारः: उपमान (standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला + कार (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मालायाः कारः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like/as
• इव: उपमा-निपात (comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-बोधक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• असौ: that (he)
• असौ: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: कर्म (Object of युङ्क्ते)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• युङ्क्ते: joins/strings together
• युङ्क्ते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तानि: those (things)
• तानि: कर्म (Object of वियुनक्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तद्-रूप

• वियुनक्ति: separates/disjoins
• वियुनक्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Implied cosmic governance: union and separation of beings under Īśvara’s will

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches īśvara-svātantrya (the Lord’s sovereign freedom): Śiva alone protects, and by His grace He brings beings into relationship and also releases them—guiding souls toward detachment and ultimately mokṣa.

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

In Saguna worship—especially of the Śiva-liṅga—the devotee learns surrender: life’s unions and separations are seen as Śiva’s arranging power, so one worships the Liṅga as the compassionate Lord who orders karma and grants liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice śaraṇāgati (surrender) with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating that all connections and losses are under Śiva’s will; offer daily water to the Liṅga as a reminder of dependence on His protection.