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Shloka 38

संध्याचरित्रवर्णनम् (Sandhyā-caritra-varṇana) — “Account of Sandhyā’s Story”

अभूतपूर्वं तत्कर्म पूर्व मृत्युं विमृश्य सा । युष्माकमात्मनश्चापि प्राणान्संत्यक्तुमिच्छति

abhūtapūrvaṃ tatkarma pūrva mṛtyuṃ vimṛśya sā | yuṣmākamātmanaścāpi prāṇānsaṃtyaktumicchati

Ayant médité cet acte comme une chose sans précédent, et ayant déjà envisagé la mort auparavant, elle souhaite maintenant abandonner son souffle vital — et cela aussi à cause de vous-mêmes.

अभूतपूर्वम्unprecedented
अभूतपूर्वम्:
Karma (कर्म) (qualifying तत्कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootअभूत (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: अभूतं च तत् पूर्वं च (unprecedented)
तत्that
तत्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)
कर्मact/deed
कर्म:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन
पूर्वम्beforehand
पूर्वम्:
Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्वम् (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)
मृत्युम्death
मृत्युम्:
Karma (कर्म) (of विमृश्य)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन
विमृश्यhaving considered
विमृश्य:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootवि + मृश् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), धातु: मृश् (to consider), उपसर्ग: वि; अर्थ: ‘having reflected/considered’
साshe
सा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (pronoun)
युष्माकम्of you (pl.)
युष्माकम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन
आत्मनःof herself
आत्मनः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of herself/one’s self’
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)
अपिalso
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (also/even)
प्राणान्life-breaths, lives
प्राणान्:
Karma (कर्म) (of संत्यक्तुम्)
TypeNoun
Rootप्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन
संत्यक्तुम्to give up
संत्यक्तुम्:
Karma (कर्म) (object of इच्छति)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + त्यज् (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), धातु: त्यज्, उपसर्ग: सम्; अर्थ: ‘to abandon/give up’
इच्छतिdesires
इच्छति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootइष् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: इष्/इच्छ् (to desire)

Narrator (Sūta Gosvāmin) conveying the Satīkhaṇḍa narrative to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

S
Sati
D
Daksha

FAQs

It highlights Sati’s uncompromising devotion to Pati (Lord Shiva): when Shiva is dishonoured through ego and adharma, she chooses renunciation of the body rather than participation in that impurity—showing the Shaiva ideal of loyalty to Shiva over worldly ties.

Sati’s resolve reflects exclusive refuge in Shiva as the supreme Lord (Pati). In Shaiva practice, devotion to Saguna Shiva—often through Linga-worship—demands reverence, humility, and rejection of blasphemy or contempt toward Shiva and his devotees.

The takeaway is inner withdrawal from ego-driven environments and steady remembrance of Shiva—practically expressed through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and maintaining purity with bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa as aids to unwavering devotion.