Shloka 49

देवगुरुप्रेषणम्

Himālaya Mission of the Gods’ Preceptor / The Gods Send Their Guru

Devanagari script

न ते पात्रानुरूपश्च पार्वतीदानकर्मणि । महाजनः स्मेरमुखः श्रुतमात्राद्भविष्यति

Transliteration

na te pātrānurūpaśca pārvatīdānakarmaṇi | mahājanaḥ smeramukhaḥ śrutamātrādbhaviṣyati

Translation

In the act of giving on behalf of Pārvatī, you are not acting in a manner suited to a worthy recipient. The people at large, merely on hearing of it, will smile—mocking and amused.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha/Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), negation particle (निषेध)

• te: your
• te: Sambandha/Possessor (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन): 'of you/your'

• pātra-anurūpaḥ: suitable to the recipient (worthy person)
• pātra-anurūpaḥ: Viśeṣya/Predicate complement (विशेष्य/पूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pātra (प्रातिपदिक) + anurūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Conjunction (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• pārvatī-dāna-karmaṇi: in the act of giving to Pārvatī
• pārvatī-dāna-karmaṇi: Adhikaraṇa/Domain (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārvatī (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahā-janaḥ: a great person / the people (as a great body)
• mahā-janaḥ: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• smera-mukhaḥ: smiling-faced
• smera-mukhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smera (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying 'mahājanaḥ'

• śruta-mātrāt: from merely hearing (it)
• śruta-mātrāt: Apādāna/Source (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruta (प्रातिपदिक; past passive participle from √śru, used as noun) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhaviṣyati: will become
• bhaviṣyati: Kriyā/Predicate (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (लृट्, simple future), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (advising regarding the propriety of Pārvatī’s charitable act)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that even a pious act like dāna must be guided by dharma—fitness of the recipient and appropriateness of the act—so that devotion remains pure and does not become a cause for social ridicule or spiritual distraction.

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

Saguna Shiva, as the compassionate guide, instructs devotees on right conduct (ācāra) that supports worship. Proper dāna and disciplined behavior protect the sanctity of devotional life that culminates in steadiness in Linga-worship and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dharmic discernment before religious acts: offer charity to a truly worthy recipient, dedicate the fruit to Shiva-Pārvatī, and maintain humility—supporting japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with right conduct.