Shloka 17

Satyavrata, Vasiṣṭha, and the Crisis of Dharma: Protection, Anger, and Vow-Discipline

Devanagari script

अनावृष्टिभये चास्मिञ्जाते द्वादशवार्षिके । अभिषिच्य पितृ राज्ये याजयामास तं मुनिः

Transliteration

anāvṛṣṭibhaye cāsmiñjāte dvādaśavārṣike | abhiṣicya pitṛ rājye yājayāmāsa taṃ muniḥ

Translation

And when a fearsome drought arose—lasting for twelve years—the sage consecrated him to his father’s kingdom and had him perform the prescribed royal sacrifices.

Word by Word

• अनावृष्टिभये: in the fear of drought
• अनावृष्टिभये: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनावृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अनावृष्टेः भयम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अस्मिन्: in this (situation/time)
• अस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Locative singular

• जाते: having arisen/occurred
• जाते: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन (सप्तमी-सम्बन्धे); PPP used locatively

• द्वादशवार्षिके: in the twelve-year (period)
• द्वादशवार्षिके: अधिकरण (Time locus/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वार्षिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-प्राय: ‘द्वादश-वर्ष-सम्बन्धि’; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular qualifying time/period

• अभिषिच्य: having consecrated
• अभिषिच्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-षिच् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभावे क्त्वान्त (gerund), ‘having anointed/consecrated’

• पितृ: of (his) father
• पितृ: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (वैदिक/ऋ-प्रातिपदिक रूप); Genitive singular

• राज्ये: in the kingdom
• राज्ये: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• याजयामास: caused (him) to perform sacrifices / had (him) officiate
• याजयामास: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु) [णिच् causative: याजय-]
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Causative perfect 3rd sg

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Accusative singular

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: twelve-year drought (anāvṛṣṭi)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that in times of collective suffering (like drought), a ruler must be established in dharma and guided by a realized sage, so governance and sacred duty become instruments for restoring order under Shiva’s cosmic law.

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

Though the Linga is not named here, the verse reflects Saguna-Shiva’s governance of the world through dharma: consecration, ritual duty, and devotion guided by a guru are understood as ways of aligning the kingdom with Shiva’s sustaining power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is disciplined dharmic worship under guidance—performing Shiva-oriented rites and japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) alongside prescribed yajna and charity during संकट (crisis).