Shloka 20

Devanagari script

गुरुमार्त्तमशक्तं च विदेशं प्रस्थितं तथा । वैरिभिः परिभूतं वा यस्संत्यजति पापकृत्

Transliteration

gurumārttamaśaktaṃ ca videśaṃ prasthitaṃ tathā | vairibhiḥ paribhūtaṃ vā yassaṃtyajati pāpakṛt

Translation

Wer seinen Guru verlässt—wenn der Lehrer bedrängt, geschwächt, in ein fremdes Land aufgebrochen ist oder von Feinden unterdrückt wird—der ist ein Sünder.

Word by Word

• गुरुम्: teacher/elder
• गुरुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (masc., acc. sg)

• आर्तम्: distressed/afflicted
• आर्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (masc., acc. sg; qualifying ‘गुरुम्’)

• अशक्तम्: incapable/weak
• अशक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (masc., acc. sg; qualifying ‘गुरुम्’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विदेशम्: foreign land
• विदेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (acc. sg)

• प्रस्थितम्: departed/set out
• प्रस्थितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र√स्था (धातु) + प्रस्थित (क्त, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (masc., acc. sg; ‘having departed’)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

• वैरिभिः: by enemies
• वैरिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• परिभूतम्: humiliated/overpowered
• परिभूतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि√भू (धातु) + परिभूत (क्त, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (masc., acc. sg; ‘insulted/overpowered’)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• सन्त्यजति: abandons/renounces
• सन्त्यजति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्√त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 3rd sg)

• पापकृत्: a sinner/evil-doer
• पापकृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘पापं करोति’ इति (agent noun; nominative singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

FAQs

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

It teaches that loyalty and service to the guru are core Shaiva dharma; abandoning the teacher in times of distress strengthens bondage (pāśa) through selfishness and produces demerit, obstructing Shiva-realization.

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

In Shaiva practice, correct Linga-worship and mantra-dīkṣā are received through the guru; forsaking the guru undermines the very transmission that makes Saguna Shiva worship disciplined and spiritually fruitful.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied practice is guru-sevā and fidelity to one’s initiated Shaiva observances—daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and regular Shiva-pūjā—performed without abandoning the teacher during hardship.