Shloka 31

गृहस्थ-जीवनसंस्काराः तथा पुत्रजन्म-शुभलक्षणवर्णनम् / Household Saṃskāras and the Auspicious Portents of a Son’s Birth

Devanagari script

अतः पुत्रं समीहन्ते गृहस्थाश्रमवासिनः । पुत्रेण लोकाञ्जयति श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी

Transliteration

ataḥ putraṃ samīhante gṛhasthāśramavāsinaḥ | putreṇa lokāñjayati śrutireṣā sanātanī

Translation

Therefore, those who abide in the householder āśrama strive for a son; for through a son one conquers (attains) the worlds—this is the eternal teaching of the Śruti.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), निपात/अव्ययार्थः—‘तस्मात्/अतः’ (therefore/from that)

• putram: a son
• putram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन (Accusative Singular)

• samīhante: desire/seek
• samīhante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-īh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; धातु—ईह् (to desire/strive) उपसर्ग—सम्

• gṛhastha-āśrama-vāsinaḥ: householders (dwellers in the gṛhastha-āśrama)
• gṛhastha-āśrama-vāsinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛhastha (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative Plural); षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषभावः—‘गृहस्थ-आश्रम-वासिनः’ = those dwelling in the householder-āśrama

• putreṇa: by/through a son
• putreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental Singular)

• lokān: worlds
• lokān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Accusative Plural)

• jayati: conquers
• jayati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ji (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; धातु—जि (to conquer)

• śrutiḥ: scriptural statement (śruti)
• śrutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• eṣā: this
• eṣā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative Singular); सर्वनाम—एतद्

• sanātanī: eternal
• sanātanī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanātanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

FAQs

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

It affirms the Śruti-based dharma of the gṛhastha: progeny sustains lineage, rites, and social-religious continuity, which in turn supports merit (dharma) and the attainment of higher realms—while remaining within a Shaiva framework where ultimate liberation is through Shiva’s grace.

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

In Shaiva practice, the householder’s duties—especially nitya-pūjā, śrāddha, and family observances—are strengthened through orderly lineage; a son is traditionally seen as supporting these rites, including Linga worship, thereby sustaining Saguna Shiva devotion in the household.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to gṛhastha-dharma: regular Shiva Linga pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and performance of ancestral rites as prescribed by Śruti and Smṛti.