Shloka 19

शिवसतीविवाहोत्तरलीला — Post‑marital Līlā of Śiva and Satī

Devanagari script

अंतर्हितस्तु तत्रैव मायया वृषभध्वजः । तामालिलिंग भीत्या स्वं चकिता व्याकुलाऽभवत्

Transliteration

aṃtarhitastu tatraiva māyayā vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ | tāmāliliṃga bhītyā svaṃ cakitā vyākulā'bhavat

Translation

Then, right there, the Bull-bannered Lord (Śiva) vanished by His own Māyā. Out of fear she clung to Him, and she herself became startled and deeply agitated.

Word by Word

• antarhitaḥ: hidden, disappeared
• antarhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: antar-dhā (अन्तर्+धा धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphasis: just/only)

• māyayā: by (his) illusion/power
• māyayā: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (माया प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• vṛṣabha-dhvajaḥ: the Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• vṛṣabha-dhvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha (वृषभ प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (ध्वज प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vṛṣabhasya dhvajaḥ), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• āliliṅga: embraced
• āliliṅga: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-liṅg (आ+लिङ्ग् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• bhītyā: out of fear
• bhītyā: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīti (भीति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (as cause)

• svam: his own (self/body)
• svam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (स्व प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनामसदृश)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; स्वकीयम् (one's own)

• cakitā: startled
• cakitā: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cakita (चकित प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the subject)

• vyākulā: agitated, distressed
• vyākulā: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyākula (व्याकुल प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• abhavat: became/was
• abhavat: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Satī-khaṇḍa episode to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s Māyā as a divine veiling power: the Lord may withdraw from perception to reveal that true refuge is not mere sensory closeness but steady awareness of Pati (Śiva) beyond fear and fluctuation.

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

When the Lord is not graspable in form, the devotee turns to stable supports of Saguna worship—especially the Śiva-liṅga—as a consistent focus for devotion, reminding one that Śiva is present even when unseen.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with steady breath and mind, and contemplate that fear arises from Māyā while Śiva remains the unchanging refuge; apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of detachment and the Lord’s transcendence.