Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

भिल्ल्युवाच । स्वामिन्देहि यतेःस्थानं विमुखं कुरु मातिथिम् । गृहधर्मं विचार्य्य त्वमन्यथा धर्मसंक्षयः

Transliteration

bhillyuvāca | svāmindehi yateḥsthānaṃ vimukhaṃ kuru mātithim | gṛhadharmaṃ vicāryya tvamanyathā dharmasaṃkṣayaḥ

Translation

ഭില്ലി പറഞ്ഞു—സ്വാമീ, യതിക്ക് യോജിച്ച സ്ഥലം നൽകുക, അതിഥിയെ മടക്കി അയയ്ക്കുക. ഗൃഹധർമ്മം ആലോചിക്കുക; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ധർമ്മക്ഷയം സംഭവിക്കും।

Word by Word

• bhillī: Bhillī
• bhillī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhillī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• svāmin: O master
• svāmin: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• dehi: give
• dehi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• yateḥ: of the ascetic
• yateḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• sthānam: a place
• sthānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• vimukham: turned away/avoided
• vimukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used predicatively with mātithim

• kuru: make/do
• kuru: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• mātithim: an unwelcome guest
• mātithim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mā-atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘unwelcome guest’ (मातिथि)

• gṛha-dharmam: household duty
• gṛha-dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘गृहस्य धर्मः’

• vicārya: having considered
• vicārya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√car (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having considered’

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: 2nd person pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय): ‘otherwise’

• dharma-saṃkṣayaḥ: decline of dharma
• dharma-saṃkṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘धर्मस्य संक्षयः’

Speaker

Bhilli

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; the verse foregrounds atithi-dharma, a common purāṇic motif where Śiva tests devotees in disguise.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

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

It highlights that spiritual life in Shaiva tradition is grounded in dharma: even devotion and renunciation must be harmonized with right conduct, especially the gṛhastha’s responsibility to uphold social and ethical order.

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is not separated from daily dharma; serving beings appropriately—guest, ascetic, and dependents—becomes an offering to Saguna Shiva, who is pleased by righteous conduct as much as ritual.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is dharmic discipline: honor the worthy with a proper seat and conduct; treat service (seva) as Shiva-arpaṇa (offering to Shiva), supported by simple japa such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while performing duties.