Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

ततोऽथ नवमे वर्षे पित्रोश्शुश्रूषणे रतम् । वैश्वानरं गृहपतिं द्रष्टुमायाच्च नारदः

Transliteration

tato'tha navame varṣe pitrośśuśrūṣaṇe ratam | vaiśvānaraṃ gṛhapatiṃ draṣṭumāyācca nāradaḥ

Translation

Then, in the ninth year, while he was devoted to attentive service of his parents, the sage Nārada came there, wishing to see Vaiśvānara, the Lord of the household-fire.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक (now/then)

• नवमे: in the ninth
• नवमे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular masculine (agreeing with वर्षे)

• वर्षे: year
• वर्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular neuter

• पित्रोः: of (his) parents
• पित्रोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन; Genitive dual masculine

• शुश्रूषणे: in service/attendance
• शुश्रूषणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular neuter

• रतम्: engaged/devoted
• रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular masculine (qualifying an implied ‘him’)

• वैश्वानरम्: Vaiśvānara
• वैश्वानरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular masculine

• गृहपतिम्: the householder/lord of the house
• गृहपतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहपति (प्रातिपदिक; गृह + पति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular masculine

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (Infinitive), ‘to see’

• आयात्: came
• आयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + या (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular imperfect

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; Nominative singular masculine

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Vaishvanara (Agni)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights dharma as the ground of Shaiva life: sincere service to one’s parents purifies the pashu (bound soul) and prepares the heart for higher knowledge and devotion, which ultimately leads toward grace (anugraha) and liberation.

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

By emphasizing disciplined household righteousness and reverence for sacred fire (Vaiśvānara), the text points to orderly worship and purity—supports for Saguna Shiva devotion, including Linga-puja performed with steadiness, humility, and right conduct.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implicitly supports daily nitya-karma and reverence for the household sacred fire (Agni) along with a life of seva; for Shaiva practitioners, this harmonizes with steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and clean, disciplined worship.