Shloka 3

Yatinātha-līlā: Śiva’s Test of the Bhilla Devotees at Arbuda Mountain

Devanagari script

तत्पत्नी ह्याहुका नाम बभूव किल सुव्रता । उभावपि महाशैवावास्तान्तौ शिवपूजकौ

Transliteration

tatpatnī hyāhukā nāma babhūva kila suvratā | ubhāvapi mahāśaivāvāstāntau śivapūjakau

Translation

ພັນລະຍາຂອງລາວ ກ່າວກັນວ່າຊື່ ອາຮຸກາ ເປັນຜູ້ຖືວຣະຕະອັນດີ. ທັງສອງເປັນມະຫາໄຊວະ ພັກດີຕໍ່ພຣະສິວະ ແລະດໍາລົງຢູ່ເປັນຜູ້ບູຊາພຣະສິວະ.

Word by Word

• tat-patnī: his wife
• tat-patnī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम) + patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष ‘तस्य पत्नी’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle ‘indeed/for’)

• āhukā: Āhukā
• āhukā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhukā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक-निपात (quotative/‘by name’)

• babhūva: became/was
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kila: it is said
• kila: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक-निपात (particle ‘it is said/indeed’)

• su-vratā: of good vows, virtuous
• su-vratā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + vratā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय ‘सु (शोभनं) व्रतम् यस्याः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (आहुकायाः)

• ubhau: both (of them)
• ubhau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (particle ‘also/even’)

• mahā-śaivau: great devotees of Śiva
• mahā-śaivau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय ‘महान्तौ शैवौ’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषण (उभयोः)

• āstām: were, remained
• āstām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ās (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/लङ्-प्रयोगे प्रचलित ‘आस्ताम्’ (they were/they remained), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• śiva-pūjakau: worshippers of Śiva
• śiva-pūjakau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष ‘शिवस्य पूजकौ’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Introduces Āhuka’s wife and establishes both as mahāśaiva śivapūjakas—devotional qualification that invites Śiva’s saving intervention later in the story.

Significance: Highlights householders’ bhakti: steadfast vows (suvrata) and regular worship are portrayed as sufficient to draw divine grace regardless of social origin.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It praises disciplined vow-based living (su-vrata) joined with Śiva-bhakti, presenting the ideal household path where devotion to Pati (Śiva) purifies the pashu (individual soul) and supports liberation-oriented conduct.

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

By calling them śivapūjakau (worshippers of Śiva), the verse points to concrete, Saguna forms of devotion—classically expressed in Śiva-pūjā and Liṅga-arcana—through which devotees cultivate steadiness, purity, and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is regular Śiva-pūjā supported by vrata (disciplined observances), such as daily worship with mantra-japa (notably the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple purity disciplines consistent with Shaiva practice.