Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

स्त्रीणां तु भर्तृशुश्रूषा धर्मो नान्यस्सनातनः । ममार्चनं च कल्याणि नियोगो भर्तुरस्ति चेत्

Transliteration

strīṇāṃ tu bhartṛśuśrūṣā dharmo nānyassanātanaḥ | mamārcanaṃ ca kalyāṇi niyogo bharturasti cet

Translation

స్త్రీలకు భర్త సేవా-శుశ్రూషయే సనాతన ధర్మము; దాని తప్ప మరొకటి లేదు. ఓ కల్యాణీ, భర్త ఆజ్ఞ లేదా అనుమతి ఉంటే నా ఆరాధన కూడా నీ కర్తవ్యమగును.

Word by Word

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (निपात/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/particle (contrast/emphasis)

• भर्तृ-शुश्रूषा: service to the husband
• भर्तृ-शुश्रूषा: कर्ता (प्रथमा/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भर्तुः शुश्रूषा)

• धर्मः: (is) the duty
• धर्मः: कर्ता/विधेय (प्रथमा/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (निषेध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध/negation particle

• अन्यः: other
• अन्यः: विशेषण (Adjectival to dharmaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (धर्मः इति)

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: विशेषण (Adjectival to dharmaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (धर्मः इति)

• मम: my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अर्चनम्: worship
• अर्चनम्: कर्ता/विधेय (Predicate/subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाववाचक from √अर्च्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (act of worship)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/coordination conjunction

• कल्याणि: O auspicious one
• कल्याणि: सम्बोधन (Vocative/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्याणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• नियोगः: permission/command
• नियोगः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भर्तुः: of the husband
• भर्तुः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: सम्बन्ध (शर्त/condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त/conditional particle

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion to Shiva is to be harmonized with one’s ordained dharma; spiritual practice becomes stable and sattvic when aligned with rightful conduct and discipline.

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

By mentioning “mamārcanam” (My worship), Shiva affirms Saguna upāsanā—such as Linga-arcana—while emphasizing that household worship should be performed in harmony with dharmic order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Shiva-arcana (puja) as a disciplined household practice—supported by devotion (bhakti) and right conduct; it may be paired with japa of the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” according to one’s adhikāra.