Shloka 30
तपसो महिमा
The Greatness and Typology of Tapas
मानुष्यं च समासाद्य स्वर्गमोक्षप्रसाधनम् । नाचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्स मृतश्शोचते चिरम्
mānuṣyaṃ ca samāsādya svargamokṣaprasādhanam | nācaratyātmanaḥ śreyassa mṛtaśśocate ciram
مَن نالَ مولدَ الإنسان—وهو وسيلةُ نيلِ السماءِ والتحرّر (موكشا)—ثم لم يعمل بما هو خيرٌ حقًّا للآتمن، فإنه بعد الموت ينوحُ حزنًا زمنًا طويلًا.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Role: liberating
FAQs
It declares human birth as a rare gateway to svarga and moksha; neglecting śreyas—right conduct, devotion, and inner purification oriented to Shiva—leads to prolonged post-death regret and sorrow.
In Shaiva Siddhanta, śreyas is fulfilled through disciplined Shiva-upasana—Linga worship, mantra-japa, and dharmic living—using the human body-mind as the instrument to loosen pāśa (bondage) and turn toward Pati (Shiva).
A practical takeaway is daily Shiva-sadhana: Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Linga-archana with bhakti, and purificatory observances such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, aligned with ethical self-discipline.