Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

भक्ताधिकारि-द्विजधर्म-योगिलक्षणवर्णनम् / Duties of Qualified Devotees and Marks of Yogins

Devanagari script

या नारी भर्तृशुश्रूषां विहाय व्रततत्परा । सा नारी नरकं याति नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Transliteration

yā nārī bhartṛśuśrūṣāṃ vihāya vratatatparā | sā nārī narakaṃ yāti nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Translation

ഭർത്തൃശുശ്രൂഷ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് വ്രതനിയമങ്ങളിൽ മാത്രം ആസക്തയായ സ്ത്രീ നരകത്തിലേക്ക് പോകുന്നു; ഇതിൽ കൂടുതൽ വിചാരം വേണ്ട।

Word by Word

• या: who (she)
• या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• नारी: woman
• नारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• भर्तृ-शुश्रूषाम्: service to (her) husband
• भर्तृ-शुश्रूषाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + śuśrūṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘service to husband’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• विहाय: having abandoned
• विहाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √hā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having abandoned’

• व्रत-तत्परा: devoted to vows
• व्रत-तत्परा: Karta-visheshana (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + tatpara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘devoted to vows’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies ‘नारी’

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• नारी: woman
• नारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Gati-karma (गतिकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• कार्या: to be done/necessary
• कार्या: Vidhana (विधान/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective with ‘विचारणा’

• विचारणा: consideration/deliberation
• विचारणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vicāraṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that in Shaiva dharma, external vows (vrata) are not superior to righteous conduct (ācāra). Devotion becomes spiritually fruitful when it supports, rather than violates, one’s ordained duties (svadharma).

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

Linga/Saguna Shiva worship in the Purana is repeatedly tied to purity of life and duty. The verse warns against using religious observances as a pretext to neglect dharma, implying that true Shiva-bhakti integrates worship with ethical responsibility.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform vratas, japa (such as the Panchakshara), and Shiva-puja while maintaining grihastha dharma—i.e., let practices like mantra, bhasma, and disciplined worship refine conduct rather than replace one’s obligations.