Shloka 20

Bhāratavarṣa–Navabheda-Vyavasthā

The Nine Divisions of Bhāratavarṣa and Its Sacred Geography

Devanagari script

अवाप्य मानुष्यमयं कदाचिद्विहृत्य शंभोः परमात्मरूपे । फलानि सर्वाणि तु कर्मजानि यास्याम्यहं तत्तनुतां हि तस्य

Transliteration

avāpya mānuṣyamayaṃ kadācidvihṛtya śaṃbhoḥ paramātmarūpe | phalāni sarvāṇi tu karmajāni yāsyāmyahaṃ tattanutāṃ hi tasya

Translation

Nachdem ich einst einen menschlichen Leib erlangt und im höchsten Selbst‑Wesen Śambhus verweilt habe, werde ich alle aus Karma entspringenden Früchte überschreiten und wahrlich die Einheit des Seins mit Ihm erlangen.

Word by Word

• अवाप्य: having obtained
• अवाप्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having obtained’

• मानुष्यमयम्: made of humanity / human (state/form)
• मानुष्यमयम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष्य + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; adjective used as object of अवाप्य

• कदाचित्: at some time/once
• कदाचित्: कालाधिकरण (Temporal modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• विहृत्य: having sported/played
• विहृत्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having sported/roamed’

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• परमात्मरूपे: in the form of the Supreme Self
• परमात्मरूपे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location/state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular

• फलानि: fruits/results
• फलानि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; adjective agreeing with फलानि

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (contrast/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• कर्मजानि: born of actions
• कर्मजानि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; adjective agreeing with फलानि

• यास्यामि: I shall go/attain
• यास्यामि: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/लृट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Pronoun nominative singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; demonstrative used adjectivally with तनुताम्

• तनुताम्: thinness/leanness
• तनुताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; goal/state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• तस्य: of that/of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma-samhita discourse to the sages, conveying the aspirant’s resolve toward Śiva-realization)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; it is a mokṣa-intent verse: through human birth and ‘sporting’ (vihṛtya) in Śambhu’s paramātma-rūpa, one transcends karma-phala.

Significance: Articulates the telos of pilgrimage and worship: not merely punya or svarga, but karma-phalātīta liberation and sāyujya/sārūpya-like participation in Śiva’s nature (as framed by the text).

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Karma-phala transcendence (karmātīta) and liberation orientation within saṃsāra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares the Shaiva goal: by realizing Śambhu as the Paramātman, the seeker rises beyond karma-born results and attains Śiva-sāmīpya/sārūpya—sharing in His divine nature, i.e., liberation from pāśa (bondage).

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

Worship of the Śiva-liṅga (saguṇa upāsanā) is a practical support for concentrating the mind on Śambhu; through devotion and contemplation, the worshipper is led to the higher recognition of Śiva as Paramātman (nirguṇa truth), which alone ends karma-phala.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Paramātman while repeating the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and offer liṅga-pūjā with bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids for steadiness and purity, aiming at freedom from karma’s fruits.