Shloka 5

नभोवाणी-दक्ष-निन्दा तथा सती-माहात्म्य-प्रतिपादनम् / The Celestial Voice Rebukes Dakṣa and Proclaims Satī’s Greatness

Devanagari script

ततः कृतः कथं नो वै स्वपुत्र्यास्त्वादरः परः । समागतायास्सत्याश्च मंगलाया गृहं स्वतः

Transliteration

tataḥ kṛtaḥ kathaṃ no vai svaputryāstvādaraḥ paraḥ | samāgatāyāssatyāśca maṃgalāyā gṛhaṃ svataḥ

Translation

«Alors, comment pourrions-nous ne pas offrir le plus haut honneur à notre propre fille ? Satī elle-même est venue de son plein gré en cette demeure de bon augure.»

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (ततः = then/thereupon)

• kṛtaḥ: was done/made
• kṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta PPP (क्त) used predicatively, Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक)

• naḥ: of us/our
• naḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; enclitic pronoun

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक)

• sva-putryāḥ: of (one's) own daughter
• sva-putryāḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + putrī (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (svasya putrī)

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adversative particle (तु = but/indeed)

• ādaraḥ: respect/affection
• ādaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• paraḥ: supreme/great
• paraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifies ādaraḥ

• samāgatāyāḥ: of (her) who had come
• samāgatāyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√gam (गम्) (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta PPP (क्त) used adjectivally, Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; qualifies satyāyāḥ

• satyāḥ: of Satī
• satyāḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• maṃgalāyāḥ: of Maṅgalā
• maṃgalāyāḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃgalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• gṛham: house/home
• gṛham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• svataḥ: of his own accord
• svataḥ: Prakāra (प्रकार/मanner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (स्वतः = of oneself/voluntarily)

Speaker

Daksha (inferred, addressing attendants/household regarding Sati’s arrival)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Sati
• Daksha

FAQs

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

It highlights dharma at the household level: honouring the devoted soul (Sati) should be natural and wholehearted. In Shaiva thought, true auspiciousness (maṅgala) arises when reverence is aligned with devotion to Shiva rather than with ego or social pride.

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

Sati embodies unwavering devotion to Saguna Shiva (the personal Lord). The verse sets the narrative contrast: outward social honour may be offered to Sati, yet if Shiva (often worshipped as the Linga) is inwardly disrespected, the ritual and hospitality become spiritually hollow.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to pair external respect with inner devotion—mentally offer honour through japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and cultivate humility, so that worship and hospitality are free from pride and aversion.