Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

सुधर्म्मा गृहमागत्य वधूं पुत्रं विवाहितम् । उत्साहं दर्शयामास प्रियाभ्यां हर्षयन्निव

Transliteration

sudharmmā gṛhamāgatya vadhūṃ putraṃ vivāhitam | utsāhaṃ darśayāmāsa priyābhyāṃ harṣayanniva

Translation

Sudharmā returned home and, seeing his son married and the daughter-in-law present, displayed great enthusiasm, as though delighting those dear to him.

Word by Word

• सुधर्म्मा: Sudharmā (name)
• सुधर्म्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (सु-धर्मा = शोभना धर्मयुक्ता/नाम)

• गृहम्: home
• गृहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म (goal as object)

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having come’

• वधूम्: daughter-in-law/bride
• वधूम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वधू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विवाहितम्: married
• विवाहितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + वह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘married’ (qualifies पुत्रम्)

• उत्साहम्: enthusiasm
• उत्साहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्साह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दर्शयामास: showed, displayed
• दर्शयामास: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) ‘made (them) see/showed’

• प्रियाभ्याम्: by/with the two beloved ones
• प्रियाभ्याम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), द्विवचन; ‘by/with the two dear ones’

• हर्षयन्: gladdening
• हर्षयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; णिच् (causative) ‘causing to rejoice’

• इव: as if
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Sudharmā

FAQs

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

It highlights dharmic household life (gṛhastha) as a supportive ground for Shaiva devotion—joy and harmony in family relations can become sattvic fuel for worship and pilgrimage-minded faith.

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

Though not explicitly mentioning the Liṅga here, the Kotirudra narrative frames worldly events within Shiva’s sacred order; a settled, dharmic home life enables steady Saguna Shiva worship—daily pūjā, vrata, and pilgrimage to Jyotirliṅgas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to stabilize the mind through dharmic joy and then maintain regular Shiva-upāsanā—daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple home Liṅga-pūjā with purity and gratitude.