Shloka 26

मित्रसह-राज्ञो रक्षत्व-शापकथा — The Curse that Turns King Mitrasaha into a Rakshasa

Vasiṣṭha’s Śāpa Narrative

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा विप्रसतीशापं मदयन्ती रतिप्रियम् । पतिं निवारयामास वैधव्यादतिबिभ्यती

Transliteration

jñātvā viprasatīśāpaṃ madayantī ratipriyam | patiṃ nivārayāmāsa vaidhavyādatibibhyatī

Translation

Al conocer la maldición pronunciada por la casta esposa de un brahmán, Madayantī—amada de Ratipriya—contuvo a su esposo, temiendo en extremo la viudez.

Word by Word

• ज्ञात्वा: having learned
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (क्रिया—पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having known’

• विप्रसतीशापम्: the curse of the brahmin’s wife (chaste woman)
• विप्रसतीशापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सती (प्रातिपदिक) + शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विप्रस्य सत्या वा शापः/विप्र-सती-शापः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मदयन्ती: Madayantī (name)
• मदयन्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदयन्ती (प्रातिपदिक; √मद् causative participle)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त-विशेषण (present participle, causative sense)

• रतिप्रियम्: dear to Rati
• रतिप्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रतेः प्रियः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पतिम्: husband
• पतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• निवारयामास: restrained
• निवारयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√वृ (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) ‘caused to desist/checked’

• वैधव्यात्: from widowhood
• वैधव्यात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैधव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अति: exceedingly
• अति: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण (intensifier: exceedingly)

• बिभ्यती: fears
• बिभ्यती: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; वर्तमानकाल

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Madayanti
• Ratipriya
• Brahmin
• Brahmin's chaste wife (sati)

FAQs

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

It highlights the inviolable force of dharma: a righteous person’s spoken truth (especially a chaste, dharmic householder) carries karmic power, and wise restraint in the face of adharma protects one’s life and spiritual welfare.

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

Within Shaiva storytelling, such episodes frame why devotees seek refuge in Saguna Shiva—often through Jyotirlinga pilgrimage and linga-worship—when worldly actions and curses generate fear, suffering, and the need for purification.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is self-restraint and prayerful surrender: repeating the Panchakshara mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and performing simple linga-puja as expiation, alongside ethical correction, to soften karmic consequences.