Shloka 20

शिवसतीविवाहोत्तरलीला — Post‑marital Līlā of Śiva and Satī

Devanagari script

सौवर्णपद्मकलिकातुल्ये तस्या कुचद्वये । चकार भ्रमराकारं मृगनाभिविशेषकम्

Transliteration

sauvarṇapadmakalikātulye tasyā kucadvaye | cakāra bhramarākāraṃ mṛganābhiviśeṣakam

Translation

Upon her two breasts—comparable to buds of a golden lotus—he fashioned a special ornament of musk, shaped like a bumblebee.

Word by Word

• सौवर्ण-पद्म-कलिका-तुल्ये: in (the two) like golden lotus-buds
• सौवर्ण-पद्म-कलिका-तुल्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कलिका (प्रातिपदिक) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), द्विवचन; समास-विश्लेषण: सौवर्णपद्मकलिका (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समुच्चय: 'golden lotus-bud') + तुल्य (तत्पुरुष: 'equal to ...'); 'in the two (breasts) equal to golden lotus-buds'

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कुच-द्वये: in the pair of breasts
• कुच-द्वये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुच (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: 'pair of breasts'

• चकार: made
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भ्रमर-आकारम्: a bee-shape
• भ्रमर-आकारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रमर (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'form of a bee'

• मृगनाभि-विशेषकम्: a musk-mark/ornament
• मृगनाभि-विशेषकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to previous)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगनाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + विशेषक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'a special mark/ornament of musk (mṛganābhi)'

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Sati

FAQs

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

The verse uses sacred poetic imagery to portray auspiciousness (śrī) and divine refinement, reminding devotees that the Purana communicates spiritual ideals through beautiful, symbolic descriptions within the Saguna (personal) narrative of the gods.

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

This passage belongs to the Saguna narrative stream of the Rudra Saṃhitā, where devotion is nurtured through divine līlā and auspicious iconography; it complements Linga-worship by deepening bhakti through reverent contemplation of the divine household and its sacred symbolism.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna (devotional visualization) of auspicious divine forms while repeating the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—cultivating purity of perception rather than imitating the literal ornamentation.