Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

पारदा मुंडकेशाश्च पाह्नवाश्श्मश्रुधारिणः । निस्स्वाध्यायवषट्काराः कृतास्तेन महात्मना

Transliteration

pāradā muṃḍakeśāśca pāhnavāśśmaśrudhāriṇaḥ | nissvādhyāyavaṣaṭkārāḥ kṛtāstena mahātmanā

Translation

That great-souled one made them live as ascetics—some bearing the sacred mark (tilaka/bhasma), some with shaven heads, some with unkempt hair and beards—deprived of Vedic study and of the ritual cry “vaṣaṭ,” thus cut off from formal Vedic sacrificial acts.

Word by Word

• पारदाः: the Pāradas
• पारदाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st case), बहुवचन

• मुण्डकेशाः: with shaven hair
• मुण्डकेशाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुण्ड + केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: मुण्डाः केशाः यस्य (shaven-haired)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पाह्नवाः: the Pāhnavas
• पाह्नवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाह्नव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• श्मश्रुधारिणः: wearing beards
• श्मश्रुधारिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्मश्रु + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: श्मश्रु धारयन्ति (beard-wearing)

• निःस्वाध्यायवषट्काराः: deprived of Vedic study and vaṣaṭ exclamations
• निःस्वाध्यायवषट्काराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + स्वाध्याय + वषट्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; नञ्/निः-पूर्वक तत्पुरुष: स्वाध्याय-वषट्कार-रहिताः (devoid of self-study and vaṣaṭ-calls)

• कृताः: were made/became
• कृताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृ धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘made/became’

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महात्मना: by the great-souled one
• महात्मना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma Samhita account to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhikṣāṭana

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights a shift from outer ritual authority to the ascetic, inwardly oriented Shaiva discipline—symbolizing detachment (vairagya) and turning the mind toward Pati (Shiva) rather than mere sacrificial formalism.

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

By contrasting Vedic vaṣaṭ-based sacrifice with ascetic Shaiva identity, the verse supports Saguna Shiva devotion through Linga-worship and Shaiva observances (like bhasma), where surrender and purity of intent are emphasized over ritual performance alone.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopting Shaiva marks such as bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and cultivating renunciation and restraint—paired with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—is implied as the practical takeaway.