Shloka 21
गिरिजाया तपोऽनुज्ञा
Permission for Girijā’s Austerities
कर्तव्यो न हठः पुत्रि गंतव्यं न बहिः क्वचित् । साधितं किं त्वया पूर्वं पुनः किं साधयिष्यसि
kartavyo na haṭhaḥ putri gaṃtavyaṃ na bahiḥ kvacit | sādhitaṃ kiṃ tvayā pūrvaṃ punaḥ kiṃ sādhayiṣyasi
“O daughter, do not be obstinate; do not go outside anywhere. What have you already accomplished before? And what, again, do you think you will accomplish now?”
Himavat (Parvati’s father)
Tattva Level: pashu
Sthala Purana: Not a jyotirliṅga episode; it reflects worldly guardianship that discourages renunciation, a typical obstacle before tapas matures into God-centered discipline.
Significance: Highlights the tension between household norms and the soul’s drive toward liberation; serves as a didactic prelude to steadfast tapas.
Shakti Form: Pārvatī
Role: liberating
FAQs
The verse cautions that spiritual attainment is not produced by mere stubborn impulse or restless movement; steadiness, restraint, and purposeful sādhana are implied—qualities that mature into true Shiva-bhakti and inner clarity.
Rather than chasing external aims, the verse supports focused devotion—remaining steady in one’s vrata and worship (often expressed as regular Linga-pūjā, japa of the Panchākṣarī, and disciplined conduct) so devotion becomes inwardly assimilated.
It implies restraint and consistency: stay grounded in daily Shiva-upāsanā—Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), simple Linga worship, and a regulated tapas routine—rather than impulsive, scattered seeking.