Shloka 23

Pitṛbhakti and Śrāddha: The Classification of Pitṛs and the Superiority of Pitṛ-kārya

Devanagari script

ते वै क्रूरतया हैंस्त्र्यात्स्वानार्य्यत्वाद्गुरोस्तथा । उग्रहिंसाविहाराश्च जातास्सप्त सहोदराः

Transliteration

te vai krūratayā haiṃstryātsvānāryyatvādgurostathā | ugrahiṃsāvihārāśca jātāssapta sahodarāḥ

Translation

Indeed, through cruelty and their own uncivil nature, they became slayers—even of their teacher. Given to fierce and violent conduct, seven brothers were thus born.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थे (certainly)

• क्रूरतया: by cruelty
• क्रूरतया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रूरता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• हैंस्त्र्यात्: from violent nature
• हैंस्त्र्यात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिंस्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; कारणार्थे (from/owing to ferocity/violence)

• स्वानार्य्यत्वात्: due to their own ignobility
• स्वानार्य्यत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + अनार्यत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य अनार्यत्वम् = their own ignobility)

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘so/likewise’

• उग्रहिंसाविहाराः: those whose conduct was fierce violence
• उग्रहिंसाविहाराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उग्र + हिंसा + विहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहु-तत्पुरुषसमासः (उग्रा हिंसा यस्य विहारः = whose conduct is fierce violence)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• जाताः: were born / became
• जाताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘born/became’

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्दः; विशेषणम् (qualifies सहोदराः)

• सहोदराः: brothers (born of same mother)
• सहोदराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

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

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

FAQs

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

It warns that cruelty (hiṁsā) and ignoble disposition deepen pāśa (bondage) and lead to grave adharma, even to the extreme of harming one’s guru—an act that blocks clarity, devotion, and the path toward Shiva’s grace.

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is grounded in purity of conduct and reverence. This verse highlights the opposite tendency—violent, tamasic behavior—which undermines eligibility for sincere Saguna Shiva worship and the inner discipline that supports Linga-upāsanā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is ahiṁsā and guru-bhakti as foundational vows; practitioners may reinforce this with Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and repentance-based worship (prāyaścitta-bhāva) to purify violent tendencies.