Shloka 57

Ikṣvāku-vaṃśa-prasaṅgaḥ — Genealogy of the Ikṣvāku Line and Exempla of Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

तां तु दृष्ट्वा गले बद्धं विक्रीणंती स्वमात्मजम् । महर्षिपुत्रं धर्म्मात्मा मोचयामास तं तदा

Transliteration

tāṃ tu dṛṣṭvā gale baddhaṃ vikrīṇaṃtī svamātmajam | maharṣiputraṃ dharmmātmā mocayāmāsa taṃ tadā

Translation

Seeing her selling her own son—his neck bound—then that righteous-souled one immediately set the boy free, the son of a great sage.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), contrast/emphasis

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund): ‘having seen’

• गले: on the neck
• गले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘on/at the neck’

• बद्धम्: bound
• बद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies (स्वम्) आत्मजम्: ‘bound’

• विक्रीणन्ती: selling
• विक्रीणन्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-क्री (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present Active Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘selling’ (female agent)

• स्वम्: own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying आत्मजम्): ‘own’

• आत्मजम्: son/child
• आत्मजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महर्षि-पुत्रम्: the great sage’s son
• महर्षि-पुत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘son of a great sage’

• धर्मात्मा: the righteous-souled one
• धर्मात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘whose self is righteous’

• मोचयामास: released/set free
• मोचयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; causative (णिच्) stem मोचय-; परस्मैपद

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Ethical compassion (dayā) and dharma-protection are framed as Śiva’s anugraha operating through a righteous agent; the episode models merit (puṇya) and reduction of pāśa (bondage) by liberative action.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

FAQs

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

It highlights dharma expressed as immediate compassion and protection of the vulnerable—conduct that loosens pasha (bondage) and aligns the soul (pashu) toward Pati, Lord Shiva, the liberating Lord.

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

Though not a direct ritual verse, it reflects the Shaiva Siddhanta spirit of Saguna Shiva as the compassionate Lord: true devotion to Shiva is shown not only in Linga worship but also in dharmic action that upholds Shiva’s grace in the world.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to pair daily Shiva remembrance—such as japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with dharmic service (raksha of the distressed), making worship both inward (mantra) and outward (compassion).