Shloka 59

Dehāśucitā-vicāraḥ

Inquiry into the Impurity of the Body

Devanagari script

नारीष्ववस्तुभूतासु सर्वदोषाश्रयासु वा । नाणुमात्रं सुखं तासु कथितं पंचचूडया

Transliteration

nārīṣvavastubhūtāsu sarvadoṣāśrayāsu vā | nāṇumātraṃ sukhaṃ tāsu kathitaṃ paṃcacūḍayā

Translation

Pañcacūḍā declared: “In women—said to be insubstantial and a refuge of every fault—there is not even an atom’s measure of true happiness.”

Word by Word

• नारीषु: among women
• नारीषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• अवस्तु-भूतासु: (who are) of insubstantial nature
• अवस्तु-भूतासु: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवस्तु (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (भू धातु, क्त/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) to नारीषु; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अवस्तु इव/अवस्तु-रूपेण भूताः)

• सर्व-दोष-आश्रयासु: (who are) the abode of all faults
• सर्व-दोष-आश्रयासु: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; विशेषण to नारीषु; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां दोषाणाम् आश्रयाः)

• वा: or/indeed
• वा: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (particle of alternative/emphasis)

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

• अणु-मात्रम्: even an atom’s measure
• अणु-मात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अणु (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अणोः मात्रा)

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तासु: in them
• तासु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• कथितम्: is said/has been stated
• कथितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थक (passive sense)

• पञ्चचूडया: by Pañcacūḍā
• पञ्चचूडया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चचूडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (agent in passive)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the teaching attributed to Pañcacūḍā within the Uma-saṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It pushes the seeker toward vairāgya (dispassion), warning that worldly, sense-based attachment does not yield lasting sukha; enduring fulfillment is found by turning to Pati (Shiva) rather than remaining bound by pāśa (desire).

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

By devaluing transient pleasures, it redirects attention to stable refuge—Saguna Shiva worship (Linga, mantra, pūjā) as a practical means to purify the mind and progress toward realization of Shiva as the supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt a discipline of japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with regular Linga-pūjā and inner restraint (yama-niyama), using devotion to Shiva to replace craving with steadiness.