Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 17

गणेश-षण्मुखयोः विवाहविचारः / Deliberation on the Marriages of Gaṇeśa and Ṣaṇmukha

Devanagari script

समौ द्वावपि सत्पुत्रौ विशेषो नात्र लभ्यते । तस्मात्पणः कृतश्शंदः पुत्रयोरुभयोरपि

Transliteration

samau dvāvapi satputrau viśeṣo nātra labhyate | tasmātpaṇaḥ kṛtaśśaṃdaḥ putrayorubhayorapi

Translation

دونوں نیک بیٹے برابر ہیں؛ یہاں کوئی امتیاز نہیں۔ لہٰذا جو شرط اور طے شدہ عہد کیا گیا ہے، وہ دونوں بیٹوں پر یکساں نافذ ہوگا۔

Word by Word

• समौ: equal
• समौ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषण (of सत्पुत्रौ)

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• अपि: also/indeed
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• सत्पुत्रौ: two good sons
• सत्पुत्रौ: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सन्तौ पुत्रौ = good sons), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• विशेषः: difference
• विशेषः: Karta (कर्ता; subject of लभ्यते)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• लभ्यते: is found/obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is obtained/found)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान; cause/ablative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; अपादानार्थे (ablative sense) ‘therefore/from that’

• पणः: a wager/pledge
• पणः: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कृतः: was made
• कृतः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate of पणः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) ‘कृत’, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (पणः)

• शन्दः: stipulation/condition
• शन्दः: Karta (कर्ता; appositional/predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (rare/variant reading; sense: agreement/condition)

• पुत्रयोः: of the two sons
• पुत्रयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन

• उभयोः: of both
• उभयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन; विशेषण (of पुत्रयोः)

• अपि: also/indeed
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (particle)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

FAQs

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

It upholds dharma through impartiality: when virtue is equal, judgment must be free of bias—an ethical foundation that supports inner purity (śuddhi) and right conduct aligned with Shiva’s order (ṛta/dharma).

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

While not directly about the Liṅga, it reflects a key Shaiva ethic: Saguna Shiva’s grace is not arbitrary; devotees are guided to live by fairness and truth, making their worship (pūjā) and vows (vrata/saṅkalpa) spiritually effective.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is integrity in saṅkalpa (vow) and vrata: keep commitments equally and truthfully; accompany worship with steady japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” as a discipline of honesty and even-mindedness.