Shloka 51

पार्वत्याः यात्रासंस्कारः तथा पातिव्रत्योपदेशः / Preparations for Girijā’s Auspicious Journey and the Teaching on Pātivratya

Devanagari script

भर्ता देवो गुरुर्भर्ता धर्मतीर्थव्रतानि च । तस्मात्सर्वम्परित्यज्य पतिमेकं समर्चयेत्

Transliteration

bhartā devo gururbhartā dharmatīrthavratāni ca | tasmātsarvamparityajya patimekaṃ samarcayet

Translation

For a wife, the husband is to be regarded as her deity; the husband is her guru; and the husband is her dharma, her pilgrimages, and her vows. Therefore, setting aside everything else, she should worship her husband alone with wholehearted reverence.

Word by Word

• bhartā: the husband
• bhartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• devaḥ: (is) a god
• devaḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (समास/वाक्ये विधेय)

• guruḥ: (is) a teacher
• guruḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhartā: the husband
• bhartā: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphasis)

• dharma: dharma/righteous duty
• dharma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• tīrtha: pilgrimage/holy place
• tīrtha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• vratāni: vows (and observances)
• vratāni: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘धर्म-तीर्थ-व्रतानि’ इति समाहार-द्वन्द्व (enumerative)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् = तद्-शब्द, पञ्चमी एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् कारणार्थे ‘therefore/from that’

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• parityajya: having abandoned
• parityajya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; ‘having abandoned’

• patim: husband
• patim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ekam: one alone
• ekam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘पतिम्’ इति विशेषण

• samarcayet: should worship properly
• samarcayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√arc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva (in the Pārvatīkhaṇḍa teaching on strī-dharma and pativratā-bhakti, narrated within Sūta’s discourse to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Recasts all external observances (tīrtha, vrata) into a single-pointed devotion; in Siddhānta reading, it gestures toward ekāgratā that matures into Śiva-anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches ekāgratā (single-pointed devotion) through dharma: in the gṛhastha path, reverence and service offered with purity become a means of inner purification, aligning the devotee toward Pati (the Supreme Lord) through disciplined love and duty.

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

In Shaiva practice, Saguna worship trains the heart in devotion and surrender; this verse applies the same bhakti-principle to daily life—seeing sacredness in rightful relationships—so the mind becomes fit for Shiva-bhakti, including Linga worship and mantra-japa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt a vow of respectful service and truthful conduct, and support it with simple Shaiva sādhanā such as Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and a sattvic daily routine; the core practice emphasized is exclusive, steady devotion without distraction.