Shloka 34

देवसान्त्वनम् (Devasāntvana) — “Consolation/Reassurance of the Gods”

Devanagari script

योग्यभूत्सदनं त्यक्त्वा कृत्वा वेषमलौकिकम् । न सेहे विरहं सत्या मद्रूपाया महेश्वरः

Transliteration

yogyabhūtsadanaṃ tyaktvā kṛtvā veṣamalaukikam | na sehe virahaṃ satyā madrūpāyā maheśvaraḥ

Translation

യോഗ്യമായ വാസസ്ഥലം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് അലൗകിക വേഷം ധരിച്ചു മഹേശ്വരൻ സതിയുടെ വിരഹം സഹിക്കാനായില്ല—അവൾ എന്റെ തന്നെ രൂപമായി (പാർവതി രൂപത്തിൽ) പ്രത്യക്ഷയായവൾ.

Word by Word

• योग्यभूत्: having become fit/appropriate
• योग्यभूत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग्य-भू (प्रातिपदिक + धातु)
• Form: भूत (Past Active Participle of √भू), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: योग्यः भूत्वा/योग्यभूतः

• सदनम्: abode, house
• सदनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Conjunctive action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्यय-भाव

• कृत्वा: having made, having assumed
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Conjunctive action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्यय-भाव

• वेषम्: guise, attire
• वेषम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अलौकिकम्: unworldly, extraordinary
• अलौकिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलौकिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying वेषम्)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• सेहे: endured, bore
• सेहे: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद (Atmanepada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• विरहम्: separation
• विरहम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सत्या: because of Sati / by Sati
• सत्या: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• मद्रूपायाः: of her who was of my form
• मद्रूपायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद्-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मम रूपं यस्याः (my-form)

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (Shiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya within the Rudra Saṃhitā’s Pārvatīkhaṇḍa context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Śiva’s ‘alaukika veṣa’ after Satī’s departure typifies the Lord’s withdrawal from worldly order; it prefigures the later restoration through Pārvatī’s tapas and the re-establishment of cosmic harmony.

Significance: Teaches viraha-bhakti: separation intensifies devotion; Śiva’s withdrawal models vairāgya and the insufficiency of worldly abodes without Śakti.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Post-Satī rupture: the Lord’s concealment (tirodhāna) of accessible grace through withdrawal, setting the stage for later anugraha via Pārvatī.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It highlights Śiva’s divine viraha (sacred longing): even the Lord, while ever-complete as Pati (the Supreme), enacts separation as līlā to reveal the depth of devotion and the destined re-manifestation of Śakti as Pārvatī.

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

Śiva’s “alaukika” guise points to Saguna manifestations adopted for devotees and cosmic purpose; in Linga worship, the devotee approaches the same transcendent Lord through a tangible, grace-giving form that bridges Nirguṇa truth and Saguna accessibility.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is remembrance in separation: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady dhyāna on Śiva-Śakti unity; offerings of bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa-dhāraṇa can be adopted as supportive Shaiva disciplines.