Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

सुप्रियं तनयं तं च पित्रोस्सद्गुणभाजनम् । दृष्ट्वाऽभवत्तदा तस्या हृदयं तप्तमग्निवत्

Transliteration

supriyaṃ tanayaṃ taṃ ca pitrossadguṇabhājanam | dṛṣṭvā'bhavattadā tasyā hṛdayaṃ taptamagnivat

Translation

Seeing that dearly beloved son—an embodiment of the father’s noble qualities—her heart at that moment burned, as if scorched by fire.

Word by Word

• सु-प्रियम्: very dear
• सु-प्रियम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-विशेषण: ‘very dear’

• तनयम्: son
• तनयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Pronoun)

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

• पित्रोः: of (his) parents / of father and (mother)
• पित्रोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचन (Dual)

• सत्-गुण-भाजनम्: abode of good qualities
• सत्-गुण-भाजनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहु-तत्पुरुष: ‘good’ + ‘qualities’ + ‘receptacle/abode’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund): ‘having seen’

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: अ- (augment)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (Temporal adverb)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तप्तम्: burnt, heated
• तप्तम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘heated/burnt’

• अग्नि-वत्: like fire
• अग्नि-वत्: Upamāna (उपमान/Comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानवाचक (Simile marker): ‘like fire’

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 intense worldly attachment and emotion can feel like burning suffering; in Shaiva Siddhanta this becomes a turning point where the soul (paśu) recognizes pain in bondage (pāśa) and becomes fit to seek refuge in Shiva (Pati) through devotion and surrender.

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

Such inner ‘burning’ is traditionally soothed by turning the mind toward Saguna Shiva—through Linga-darśana, japa, and pūjā—transforming grief and attachment into steady bhakti, which the Shiva Purana repeatedly presents as a direct means to Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is Panchakshara japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with calm breath, along with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supports for steadiness—redirecting the heated mind into remembrance of Shiva.