Shloka 3

वराङ्ग्याः सुतजन्म-उत्पातवर्णनम् | Birth of Varāṅgī’s Son and the Description of Portents

Utpātas

Devanagari script

तदैव च महोत्पाता बभूवुर्दुःखहेतवः । जायमाने सुते तस्मिन्वरांग्यात्सुखदुःखदे

Transliteration

tadaiva ca mahotpātā babhūvurduḥkhahetavaḥ | jāyamāne sute tasminvarāṃgyātsukhaduḥkhade

Translation

Just then, great ominous portents arose—harbingers of sorrow. For when that son was being born to the fair-limbed lady, he became the cause of both joy and grief.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: सम्बन्ध/कालाधिकरण (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अवधारणार्थक (emphatic)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• महोत्पाताः: great omens/portents
• महोत्पाताः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोत्पात (प्रातिपदिक: महा + उत्पात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (great portents)

• बभूवुः: arose/occurred
• बभूवुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• दुःखहेतवः: causes of sorrow
• दुःखहेतवः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Predicate nominative of mahotpātāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःखहेतु (प्रातिपदिक: दुःख + हेतु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (causes of sorrow)

• जायमाने: while (he was) being born
• जायमाने: अधिकरण (Locative absolute; circumstance)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present middle participle/शानच्), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• सुते: in/at the son (being born)
• सुते: अधिकरण (Locative absolute)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; जायमाने इति सह सति-सप्तमी

• तस्मिन्: in that (event/time)
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Locative; 'in that (time/event)')
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वराङ्ग्याः: of the fair-limbed (woman)
• वराङ्ग्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—वर + अङ्ग

• सुखदुःखदे: in the (one) who gives pleasure and pain
• सुखदुःखदे: विशेषण (Qualifier in locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखदुःखद (प्रातिपदिक: सुख + दुःख + द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (giver of pleasure and pain); विशेषणम्—तस्मिन्/सुते इत्यर्थे

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Kālāntaka

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it introduces mahotpāta (ominous portents) accompanying the birth, signaling mixed karmic consequences (sukha-duḥkha).

Significance: Warns that extraordinary power can carry ambivalent outcomes; encourages discernment and turning to Śiva for right-order (dharma) amid portents.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: utpāta (ominous portents) at birth

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that worldly events can carry mixed outcomes—joy and sorrow—yet within Shaiva thought these dualities are instruments through which beings mature, exhaust karma, and become fit for Shiva’s grace (anugraha).

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

By pointing to the inevitability of sukha and duḥkha in embodied life, the narrative nudges the devotee toward taking refuge in Saguna Shiva through steady bhakti—worship of the Linga—so the mind remains anchored in Shiva amid changing circumstances.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a vow of equanimity, supported by simple Shaiva discipline such as applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and maintaining daily Shiva-pūjā during times of perceived inauspicious signs.