Shloka 28

शिवसतीविवाहोत्तरलीला — Post‑marital Līlā of Śiva and Satī

Devanagari script

विहृत्य सुचिरं कालं कैलासगिरिकुंजरे । अगमद्धिमवत्प्रस्थं सस्मार स्वेच्छया स्मरन्

Transliteration

vihṛtya suciraṃ kālaṃ kailāsagirikuṃjare | agamaddhimavatprasthaṃ sasmāra svecchayā smaran

Translation

After sporting for a very long time in the lofty groves of Mount Kailāsa, he went to the slopes of Himavat; and, of his own free will, remembering her, he became inwardly mindful of Love’s stirring.

Word by Word

• vihṛtya: having sported
• vihṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-hṛ (धाातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावः (gerund/absolutive) ‘having sported’

• suciram: for a long time
• suciram: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sucira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; क्रियाविशेषणवत् ‘for a long time’

• kālam: time
• kālam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; time-duration (accusative of extent)

• kailāsa-giri-kuṃjare: on Mount Kailāsa (the mighty mountain)
• kailāsa-giri-kuṃjare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kailāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + giri (प्रातिपदिक) + kuṃjara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कैलासस्य गिरिः) + तत्पुरुषः (गिरेः कुंजरः/श्रेष्ठः) ; locative ‘on/in the elephant-like (mighty) Mount Kailāsa’

• agamat: went
• agamat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धाातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (अनद्यतन-भूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• himavat-prastham: the slope/plateau of Himavat (Himalaya)
• himavat-prastham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: himavat (प्रातिपदिक) + prastha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘हिमवतः प्रस्थम्’ (the plateau/slope of Himavat)

• sasmāra: remembered
• sasmāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धाातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• sva-icchayā: by his own will
• sva-icchayā: Hetu/Sādhana (हेतु/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + icchā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-भावः ‘स्वा इच्छा’ → ‘by his own will’

• smaran: remembering
• smaran: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धाातु) + शतृ (कृत्)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (present active participle), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘remembering’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kailasa
• Himavat
• Smara (Kama)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights Shiva’s complete sovereignty (svatantratā): even when the theme of desire (Smara) arises, it does so under Shiva’s own will. In Shaiva understanding, this signals divine līlā rather than bondage—Shiva remains Pati (the Lord), untouched by pasha (bondage).

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

By depicting Shiva’s movements and intentions in sacred geography (Kailāsa and Himavat), the text supports Saguna devotion—meditating on Shiva’s līlā and presence in holy places. Such remembrance naturally matures into Linga-worship, where devotees focus the mind on Shiva as the accessible, worshipful form leading toward the highest reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is smaraṇa (devotional recollection): steady remembrance of Shiva through japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to keep desire purified and subordinated to divine will. If practicing externally, pair japa with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as Shaiva markers of disciplined devotion.