Shloka 37

Devanagari script

शक्तिर्मम तु नास्त्येव दक्षाद्यैतन्निवारणे । शपथोल्लंघनादेव शिवद्रोही यतोस्म्यहम्

Transliteration

śaktirmama tu nāstyeva dakṣādyaitannivāraṇe | śapathollaṃghanādeva śivadrohī yatosmyaham

Translation

Truly I have no power to prevent this act of Dakṣa and the others; for, by violating my vow, I have become an offender against Śiva.

Word by Word

• शक्तिः: power, ability
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but, however
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle/conjunction)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• दक्ष-आदि: Dakṣa and others
• दक्ष-आदि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (आदि-समास: 'Dakṣa and others')

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; (निवारणे इति क्रियाविशेषणार्थे)

• निवारणे: in preventing, in restraint
• निवारणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शपथ-उल्लङ्घनात्: from the transgression of the oath
• शपथ-उल्लङ्घनात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक) + उल्लङ्घन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• शिव-द्रोही: an offender/enemy of Śiva
• शिव-द्रोही: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रोहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'enemy of Śiva')

• यतः: because, since
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारणार्थक (causal adverb: 'because/since')

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Satī (Pārvatī as Dakṣa’s daughter)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Daksha
• Sati

FAQs

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

Satī admits that violating a vow weakens one’s inner authority and becomes a form of Śiva-aparādha (offense to Shiva). In Shaiva understanding, dharma and devotion must align; when they fracture, the soul loses clarity and power to act rightly.

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

The verse highlights loyalty to Saguna Śiva—Shiva approached as the personal Lord worthy of steadfast devotion. Disrespect toward Shiva (or His devotees and symbols such as the Liṅga) is treated as a serious fault that obstructs grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to renew one’s vow through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with repentance and steadiness, and to avoid Śiva-aparādha by honoring Shiva’s worship (Liṅga, bhasma/Tripuṇḍra, and Rudrākṣa) with sincerity.