Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 32

दक्षस्य विष्णुं प्रति शरणागतिḥ — Dakṣa’s Appeal to Viṣṇu and the Teaching on Disrespect to Śiva

Devanagari script

पुनः कर्ममयैः पाशैर्वद्धा जन्मनि जन्मनि । निरयेषु प्रपच्यंते केवलं कर्मरूपिणः

Transliteration

punaḥ karmamayaiḥ pāśairvaddhā janmani janmani | nirayeṣu prapacyaṃte kevalaṃ karmarūpiṇaḥ

Translation

Immer wieder—Geburt um Geburt—durch Schlingen aus Karma gebunden, werden jene, die nur als Handelnde leben (sich allein mit Karma identifizieren), in den Höllenreichen verbrannt und „gekocht“.

Word by Word

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• कर्ममयैः: made of karma
• कर्ममयैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘कर्ममय’ (made of action) used as adjective to pāśaiḥ

• पाशैः: by bonds; by nooses
• पाशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• बद्धाः: bound
• बद्धाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √बन्ध्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• जन्मनि: in birth
• जन्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• जन्मनि: in birth (again and again)
• जन्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• निरयेषु: in hells
• निरयेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन

• प्रपच्यन्ते: are tormented; are cooked
• प्रपच्यन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; passive-like sense ‘are cooked/tormented’

• केवलम्: only; merely
• केवलम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् (adverbial accusative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; ‘only/merely’

• कर्मरूपिणः: those whose nature is (only) karma
• कर्मरूपिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘कर्मरूपिन्’ (having the form/nature of karma)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: repeated rebirth (janmani janmani) and infernal suffering (niraya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches the Shaiva Siddhanta theme of paśu (the bound soul) being tied by pāśa (bondage) in the form of karma; when one lives only as a karma-driven ego-agent, the cycle of rebirth and painful consequences continues until Shiva’s grace and right knowledge loosen the bonds.

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

Linga-worship directs the mind from mere karmic identity (karma-rūpiṇaḥ) toward Pati—Shiva as the Lord of bondage and liberation—so devotion, surrender, and remembrance of Saguna Shiva become a means to purify karma and transcend its binding noose.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Linga-abhiṣeka, along with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supports for discipline and remembrance, is a practical takeaway for reducing karmic bondage and turning action into Shiva-offering.