Shloka 20

Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय

Devanagari script

जरामरणगर्भेभ्यो भीतस्य नरकादिषु एवं दाययते तस्मात् तद्भैक्ष्यमिति संस्मृतम्

Transliteration

jarāmaraṇagarbhebhyo bhītasya narakādiṣu evaṃ dāyayate tasmāt tadbhaikṣyamiti saṃsmṛtam

Translation

لذلك، من كان فزعًا من الشيخوخة والموت وتكرار الدخول في الرحم، ومن أهوال الجحيم وأمثالها، فليُعطَ على هذا النحو. ومن ثمّ يُذكَر ذلك باسم «تلك الصدقة المقدّسة (bhaikṣya)»، وهي عطية رحيمة تُرخي قيود الروح.

Word by Word

• जरामरणगर्भेभ्यः: from old age, death, and (return to) the womb

• भीतस्य: of the frightened one

• नरकादिषु: in hells and other (painful states)

• एवम्: thus/in this manner

• दाययते: one should give/it is to be given (as charity)

• तस्मात्: therefore

• तत्: that

• भैक्ष्यम्: alms/holy begging-offering

• इति: thus

• संस्मृतम्: is remembered/declared in tradition

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames charity (dāna/bhaikṣya) as a Shaiva dharmic support for the bound soul (paśu): by offering with Shiva in mind (Pati), one weakens karmic bonds (pāśa) that drive rebirth and suffering.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva is implied as Pati—the liberating Lord—while fear of birth, death, and hell marks the condition of paśu under pāśa; turning to dharmic giving becomes an act oriented toward Shiva’s grace and purification.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Dana as a purificatory practice: giving alms (bhaikṣya) to the worthy—especially in a Shaiva devotional frame—supports inner cleansing that complements Pashupata discipline aimed at loosening bondage.