Shloka 18

घनागमवर्णनम् / Description of the Monsoon’s Onset

Satī’s Address to Śiva

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्विषमे काले नीलं काकाश्चकोरकाः । कुर्वंति त्वां विना गेहान् कथं शांतिमवाप्स्यसि

Transliteration

etasminviṣame kāle nīlaṃ kākāścakorakāḥ | kurvaṃti tvāṃ vinā gehān kathaṃ śāṃtimavāpsyasi

Translation

In this cruel and troubled time, even blue-hued crows and chakora birds make their homes without you. How, then, will you ever attain peace of heart apart from you?

Word by Word

• etasmin: in this
• etasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga/Napumsaka, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana; locative

• viṣame: difficult, adverse
• viṣame: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga/Napumsaka, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana; adjective qualifying 'kāle'

• kāle: at the time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana; locative of time

• nīlam: blue/black
• nīlam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; object-complement/attribute

• kākāḥ: crows
• kākāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• cakora-kāḥ: cakora birds
• cakora-kāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; (variant form for 'cakoraḥ' plural)

• kurvanti: they make/do
• kurvanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; parasmaipada

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; 2nd person pronoun

• vinā: without
• vinā: Apavarga/Viśeṣaṇa (अपवर्जन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; preposition-like indeclinable governing accusative (विना-योगे द्वितीया)

• gehān: houses, homes
• gehān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: geha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Bahuvacana

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• śāntim: peace
• śāntim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• avāpsyasi: will you obtain
• avāpsyasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + āp (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (Periphrastic future/लुट्), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Speaker

Sati (addressing Lord Shiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not directly Jyotirliṅga-related; the verse is Satī’s relational lament, using birds/home imagery to stress separation and unrest without Śiva.

Significance: Didactic: without the Lord (Pati), the jīva (paśu) cannot find śānti; separation (viraha) becomes a spur toward union (yoga/bhakti).

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 expresses viraha-bhakti: the soul’s unrest without Pati (Shiva). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, true śānti arises when the pashu (individual self) turns to Shiva for grace, not from worldly arrangements.

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

The verse emphasizes that peace is found through proximity and devotion to Shiva. Practically, this points to Saguna upasana—approaching Shiva through Linga worship, remembrance, and surrender—so the mind gains śānti by anchoring in Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is japa and remembrance of Shiva for inner peace—especially Panchakshara mantra japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a calm mind; if following Shiva Purana practice, combine it with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as supports for steady devotion.