Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 9

The Teaching on Śiva-Dharma and the Supremacy of Food-Giving

within the Pitṛtīrtha–Yayāti Episode

Devanagari script

शुभाशुभफलं चापि भुज्यते सर्वदेहिभिः । शिवधर्मस्य चैकस्य फलं तत्रोपभुज्यते

Transliteration

śubhāśubhaphalaṃ cāpi bhujyate sarvadehibhiḥ | śivadharmasya caikasya phalaṃ tatropabhujyate

Translation

كلُّ ذي جسدٍ يذوق ثمرات الأعمال الحسنة والسيئة؛ أمّا هناك فيُتَمتَّع بثمرة طريقٍ واحد—دارما شيفا—بوصفها نتيجته المميّزة.

Word by Word

• शुभ-अशुभ-फलं: the fruit of good and bad (deeds)
• शुभ-अशुभ-फलं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (शुभं च अशुभं च) + फलम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; ‘also/even’)

• भुज्यते: is experienced/enjoyed
• भुज्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• सर्व-देहिभिः: by all embodied beings
• सर्व-देहिभिः: Karana (Instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• शिव-धर्मस्य: of the Śiva-dharma
• शिव-धर्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एकस्य: of the one (single)
• एकस्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying शिवधर्मस्य)

• फलं: fruit/result
• फलं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्र: there/therein
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place: ‘there/in that case’)

• उपभुज्यते: is enjoyed/experienced
• उपभुज्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√भुज् (धातु; उपसर्ग: उप)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice not provided in the excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: चापि = च + अपि; सर्वदेहिभिः = सर्व-देहिभिः; शिवधर्मस्य = शिव-धर्मस्य; चैकस्य = च + एकस्य; तत्रोपभुज्यते = तत्र + उपभुज्यते.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is meant by śubhāśubha-phala in this verse?

It refers to the experienced consequences (phala) of both good/meritorious actions (śubha) and harmful/sinful actions (aśubha) that living beings undergo due to karma.

How does the verse distinguish Śiva-dharma from general karma?

It states that while everyone undergoes mixed karmic results, the ‘one’ Śiva-dharma has a specific, distinctive fruit that is ‘enjoyed there’—implying a special outcome associated with devotion/observance of Śiva’s dharma beyond ordinary karmic mixtures.

What ethical lesson does this verse teach?

It reinforces personal responsibility for actions (since all embodied beings experience karmic results) and highlights commitment to a chosen dharma—here Śiva-dharma—as a focused spiritual path with its own promised outcome.