Shloka 16

पार्वत्याः तपः-परीक्षा (Śiva Tests Pārvatī’s Austerity)

Devanagari script

पुरा दक्षसुता जाता सती नामान्यजन्मनि । योगेन त्यक्तदेहाऽहं यत्पित्रा निन्दितः पतिः

Transliteration

purā dakṣasutā jātā satī nāmānyajanmani | yogena tyaktadehā'haṃ yatpitrā ninditaḥ patiḥ

Translation

ในกาลก่อน ข้าพเจ้าเกิดเป็น ‘สตี’ ธิดาของทักษะ เมื่อบิดาของข้าพเจ้านินทาสวามีของข้าพเจ้า ข้าพเจ้าจึงละกายนั้นด้วยอานุภาพแห่งโยคะ

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly, once
• पुरा: Kāla (काल/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• दक्षसुता: Dakṣa's daughter
• दक्षसुता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष + सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—दक्षस्य सुता (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• जाता: was born
• जाता: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकालिक कृदन्त (past participle) ‘born’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सती: Satī
• सती: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/naming)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामार्थक अव्यय (particle meaning ‘by name’)

• अन्यजन्मनि: in another birth
• अन्यजन्मनि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—अन्यं जन्म (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय)

• योगेन: by yoga
• योगेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• त्यक्तदेहा: having abandoned (her) body
• त्यक्तदेहा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यक्त + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—त्यक्तः देहः यस्याः सा (बहुव्रीहि)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यत्: who/which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative link)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• पित्रा: by (my) father
• पित्रा: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• निन्दितः: was censured
• निन्दितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निन्द् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘censured’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पतिः: husband (Lord)
• पतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Pārvatī

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Allusion to Satī’s yogic self-abandonment after Dakṣa’s insult to Śiva; this episode becomes the seed for later Śākta-Śaiva sacred geographies (Dakṣa-yajña, Satī’s departure, and the restoration through Śiva’s grace), but no single Jyotirliṅga is directly invoked in this verse.

Significance: Frames the paradigmatic Śaiva ethic: unwavering loyalty to Pati (Śiva) and rejection of nāstika-nindā (reviling the Lord), which is treated as a spiritual fall leading to bondage.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Sati
• Daksha
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It shows Satī’s uncompromising devotion to Pati (Śiva) and the Shaiva Siddhanta emphasis that worldly honor cannot override dharma toward the Supreme Lord; her yogic abandonment of the body highlights mastery of prāṇa and detachment.

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

Satī’s reaction arises from Dakṣa’s disrespect toward Śiva (the Saguna Lord revered as the Linga in worship). The verse reinforces that true devotees uphold Śiva’s supremacy and do not participate in settings that deny or insult His worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to yogic discipline—steadfast meditation and prāṇa-control—supported in Shaiva practice by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and purity observances such as vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) as aids to inner steadiness.