Now, I don't believe for a moment that Shiv loves Gauri. Even if he does and doesn't know it, wouldn't he feel a tad bit jealous abt the thought of Gauri and Shashank together?
He's definitely not the self sacrificing type. He still holds a torch for the girl in the painting. Incidentlly, they showed him staring at the pix yesterday and the very next scene has Ipshita coming down the stairs looking very pretty. Correct me if I'm wrong...but as far as memeory serves that was the sequence. If I'm correct, that has to be symbolic.
I think he genuinely wants Gauri to be happy and he understands what one's first love means so he wants to help them.
Ekta keeps saying this is a simple story. So, boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl again. simple story!!