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

Nachdem man die vedisch gebotenen Riten vollzogen und ihre große Frucht Parameśvara (Herrn Śiva) dargebracht hat, erlangt man den Zustand des höchsten Herrn; und dann erreicht man stufenweise die göttlichen Arten der Befreiung, beginnend mit sālokya und den weiteren.

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.