Shloka 19

पुराणश्रवणप्रस्तावः

Prologue to the Recitation of the Śaiva Purāṇa

Devanagari script

कर्म कृत्वा तु वेदोक्तं तदर्पितमहाफलम् । परमेशपदप्राप्तः सालोक्यादिक्रमात्ततः

Transliteration

karma kṛtvā tu vedoktaṃ tadarpitamahāphalam | parameśapadaprāptaḥ sālokyādikramāttataḥ

Translation

إذا أُدّيت الطقوس المأمور بها في الفيدا، ثم قُدِّمت ثمرتها العظمى قرباناً لباراميشڤارا (الرب شيفا)، نال المرء مقام الرب الأعلى؛ ثم يرتقي على التدرّج إلى أنماط الخلاص الإلهي، ابتداءً من سالوكيا (sālokya) وما بعدها.

Word by Word

• कर्म: action/rite
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्तृ-क्रियायाः कर्म

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having done’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• वेदोक्तम्: prescribed by the Veda
• वेदोक्तम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद + उक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त ‘उक्त’; समासः—वेदेन उक्तम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• तत्: that (to Him)
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समास-पूर्वपदत्वेन; ‘अर्पित’ इति विशेषण-पूर्वपदम्

• अर्पित: offered
• अर्पित: Karma (कर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासाङ्गत्वेन; ‘offered/dedicated’

• महाफलम्: great fruit/result
• महाफलम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—महद् फलम्

• परमेशपदप्राप्तः: having attained the state of the Supreme Lord
• परमेशपदप्राप्तः: Karta (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमेश + पद + प्राप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘प्राप्त’; समासः—परमेशस्य पदम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + तस्य प्राप्तः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सालोक्यादिक्रमात्: from the sequence beginning with sālokya
• सालोक्यादिक्रमात्: Apādāna (अपादान/पञ्चमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सालोक्य + आदि + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; ‘सालोक्य-आदि-क्रम’ (sequence beginning with sālokya); अपादान (ablative)

• ततः: thereafter/then
• ततः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb), ‘thereafter/from that’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī’s Viśvanātha is portrayed as the recipient of all dedicated karmaphala; dedication (īśvarārpaṇa) converts Vedic karma into a ladder toward sālokya etc., culminating in Parameśvara-pada.

Significance: Teaches īśvarārpaṇa-buddhi: offering the fruit of Vedic duties to Śiva, transforming karma into a means toward graded mukti (sālokya, sāmīpya, sārūpya, sāyujya).

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Veda-prescribed actions become spiritually liberating when their results are surrendered to Parameśvara (Śiva), leading the devotee step-by-step toward liberation beginning with sālokya.

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

The verse supports Saguna devotion: one performs outward Vedic worship and dedicates its merit to Śiva as Lord and refuge, transforming ritual merit into a path toward communion with Him.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform one’s prescribed worship/vows and then consciously offer the merit (phala) to Śiva—e.g., concluding pūjā with a mental surrender of results, aligned with bhakti and karma-yoga.