Shloka 45

पापभेदवर्णनम्

Classification of Sins / Taxonomy of Pāpa

Devanagari script

अचौरं चौरवत्पश्येच्चौरं वाचौररूपिणम् । अविचार्य नृपस्तस्माद्धातयन्नरकं व्रजेत्

Transliteration

acauraṃ cauravatpaśyeccauraṃ vācaurarūpiṇam | avicārya nṛpastasmāddhātayannarakaṃ vrajet

Translation

Wenn ein König einen Unschuldigen für einen Dieb hält oder den Dieb nicht erkennt, der als Nichtdieb verkleidet kommt, dann fällt er, indem er ohne rechte Prüfung Strafe befiehlt, in die Hölle.

Word by Word

• अचौरम्: a non-thief (innocent)
• अचौरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-चौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गार्थ (non-thief)

• चौरवत्: as (if) a thief
• चौरवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चौरवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त उपमानवाचक (like a thief)

• पश्येत्: should see/consider
• पश्येत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चौरम्: a thief
• चौरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

• चौररूपिणम्: one having the appearance of a thief
• चौररूपिणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौर + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चौरस्य रूपं यस्य/चौररूपः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अविचार्य: without considering
• अविचार्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ-वि-√चर् (धातु) → अविचार्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वा/gerund) नञ्-पूर्वक; ‘without considering/without inquiry’

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; ‘therefore/from that’

• घातयन्: causing to be executed
• घातयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु) → घातयत् (णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), णिच् (causative) ‘causing to be killed/punishing’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: would go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Shiva (instructional discourse within Umāsaṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse warns that adharma committed through careless judgment becomes a binding pāśa (bond) of karma; a ruler who abandons viveka (discernment) accrues grave demerit and falls into suffering states, obstructing liberation.

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

Saguna Shiva is upheld as the Lord of Dharma and inner witness; true Linga-worship is not merely ritual but alignment with Shiva’s order—truthfulness, discernment, and protection of the innocent—without which devotion becomes hollow.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Shiva-oriented viveka: before action, pause for inquiry (vicāra), recite the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to steady the mind, and cultivate impartiality; this supports dharmic action and reduces karmic bondage.