Shloka 26

Ghuśmā–Sudehā: Jealousy, Household Honor, and the Ethics of Śaiva Merit (गुश्मा–सुदेहा प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

मध्याह्ने पूजनांते च दृष्ट्वा शय्यां भयावहाम् । तथापि न तदा किञ्चित्कृतं दुःखं हि घुश्मया

Transliteration

madhyāhne pūjanāṃte ca dṛṣṭvā śayyāṃ bhayāvahām | tathāpi na tadā kiñcitkṛtaṃ duḥkhaṃ hi ghuśmayā

Translation

ยามเที่ยง เมื่อการบูชาสิ้นสุด นางเห็นแท่นบรรทมอันน่าสะพรึงกลัว ถึงกระนั้นในเวลานั้นเอง ฆุษมาไม่กระทำสิ่งใดด้วยความทุกข์โศก นางมิได้คร่ำครวญ

Word by Word

• मध्याह्ने: at midday
• मध्याह्ने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhyāhna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• पूजन-अन्ते: at the end of worship
• पूजन-अन्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjana (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (pūjanasya antaḥ = end of worship)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction: and)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Kridanta
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव: 'having seen'

• शय्याम्: bed
• शय्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śayyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• भय-आवहाम्: fearsome, bringing fear
• भय-आवहाम्: Karmaviśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (bhayam āvahati iti = bringing fear)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (thus, in that way)

• अपि: even, nevertheless
• अपि: Sambandha-nipāta (सम्बन्ध-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि-निपात (even/also)

• न: not
• न: Niṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kālādhi-kriyāviśeṣaṇa (कालाधिक क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (then/at that time)

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṃcit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अल्पपरिमाणवाचक (anything, something)

• कृतम्: (any) act was done
• कृतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; कृ + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तं कर्म/भाववाचकं (a deed; 'was done')

• दुःखम्: sorrow, distress
• दुःखम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृतम् इत्यस्य विशेषणवत्/वाक्ये भावार्थः

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-nipāta (सम्बन्ध-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (indeed/for)

• घुश्मया: by Ghuśmā
• घुश्मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghuśmayā (प्रातिपदिक: घुश्मया)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (by Ghuśmā)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Ghṛṣṇeśvara

Sthala Purana: In the Ghuśmā episode, her daily worship of earthen liṅgas and unwavering devotion culminate in Śiva’s protective intervention and the manifestation of the famed liṅga associated with her tapas and bhakti.

Significance: Assurance of rakṣā (protection) and bhakti-siddhi through steadfast worship even amid fear and loss; exemplifies grace responding to unshaken devotion.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ghuśmā

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva ideal of niṣkāma-bhakti—steadfast devotion to Lord Shiva that does not collapse under fear or shock. Ghuśmā’s refusal to indulge grief reflects inner surrender to Pati (Shiva), trusting divine order while keeping the mind anchored in worship.

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

The verse places the crisis immediately after pūjā, showing that Linga-worship is meant to cultivate firmness of heart. Saguna Shiva, approached through ritual worship, stabilizes the devotee so that even terrifying worldly scenes do not break dharma or devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain composure after daily Shiva-pūjā by continuing japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and holding a calm, witness-like awareness. The takeaway is steadiness—do not abandon mantra, bhasma/tripuṇḍra discipline, or prayer when adversity appears.