Shloka 18

सतीविरहानन्तरं शम्भोश्चरितम् / Śiva’s Conduct After Satī’s Separation

Devanagari script

तम्बालं द्रुतमुत्थाय क्रोडयां निदधे वरम् । स्तन्यं सापाययत्प्रीत्या दुग्धं स्वोपरिसम्भवम्

Transliteration

tambālaṃ drutamutthāya kroḍayāṃ nidadhe varam | stanyaṃ sāpāyayatprītyā dugdhaṃ svoparisambhavam

Translation

Quickly rising, she lifted the excellent child and placed him upon her lap; then, with affection, she made him drink her breast-milk—milk that had arisen within her own being.

Word by Word

• तम्बालम्: the child (Tambāla)
• तम्बालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तम्बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly)

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (having risen)

• क्रोडायाम्: in (her) lap
• क्रोडायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Locative, Singular)

• निदधे: placed
• निदधे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम् (Perfect, 3rd person, Singular; Atmanepada)

• वरम्: excellent, best
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Accusative, Singular; adjectival)

• स्तन्यम्: breast-milk
• स्तन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Feminine, Nominative, Singular; pronoun)

• अपाययत्: made (him) drink; fed
• अपाययत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु) [णिच् causative: पायय]
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative) (Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular; causative)

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: Hetu/Prayojana (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Singular)

• दुग्धम्: milk
• दुग्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• स्व-उपरि-सम्भवम्: arising from her own body
• स्व-उपरि-सम्भवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjectival)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Child (infant)

FAQs

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

It portrays divine motherhood as sacred seva: affectionate nurturing becomes a form of bhakti, showing that love offered to the divine—through care, humility, and tenderness—purifies the heart and aligns the soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati).

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

The verse highlights Saguna devotion—approaching the Divine through personal relationship and loving service. Such bhava supports Linga worship by making ritual not merely external, but infused with heartfelt devotion and intimacy with Shiva’s divine family and play.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is bhakti-sādhana through seva and tenderness: while chanting “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivate a nurturing, compassionate attitude and offer daily actions as worship—optionally supported by rudrākṣa japa and simple, pure offerings.