Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

तस्य सत्यरथा नाम भार्या केकयवंशजा । कुमारं जनयामास हरिश्चन्द्रमकल्मषम्

Transliteration

tasya satyarathā nāma bhāryā kekayavaṃśajā | kumāraṃ janayāmāsa hariścandramakalmaṣam

Translation

His wife, named Satyarathā, born in the Kekaya lineage, gave birth to a son—Hariścandra—spotless and free from sin.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सत्यरथा: Satyarathā
• सत्यरथा: कर्ता (कर्तृ/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य-रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय—सत्यः रथः यस्याः/या (name)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: सम्बन्ध (Apposition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable: ‘by name’)

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: कर्ता (कर्तृ/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• केकयवंशजा: born in the Kekaya lineage
• केकयवंशजा: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केकय-वंश-ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—केकयस्य वंशः, तस्मात् जाता (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष)

• कुमारम्: a son/prince
• कुमारम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• जनयामास: gave birth to / produced
• जनयामास: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative stem जनय-)

• हरिश्चन्द्रम्: Hariścandra
• हरिश्चन्द्रम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि-चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; नाम; समासः—हरिः च चन्द्रः (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व, नामरूपेण)

• अकल्मषम्: spotless/sinless
• अकल्मषम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (negated adjective)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Harishchandra
• Satyaratha
• Kekaya

FAQs

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

By calling Hariścandra “akalmaṣa” (stainless), the text signals innate dharmic purity—an auspicious ground for later spiritual striving where devotion and righteousness align under Śiva’s grace.

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

Though this verse is genealogical, it frames a dharmic exemplar; in Shaiva reading, such purity supports steadfast Saguna-Śiva worship (Linga-bhakti), where character and truthfulness become offerings to Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

No specific rite is stated; the takeaway is cultivating akalmaṣatā (inner purity) through satya (truthfulness) and simple daily Śiva-smaraṇa, such as japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”