Shloka 18

मुक्तयतिदेहसंस्काररहस्यं — The Esoteric Rites for the Bodies of Liberated Ascetics

Devanagari script

भुक्त्वा भोगान्यथोक्तांश्च ते तत्पुण्यक्षये पुनः । मानुषं लोकमासाद्य भजते जन्मपूर्ववत्

Transliteration

bhuktvā bhogānyathoktāṃśca te tatpuṇyakṣaye punaḥ | mānuṣaṃ lokamāsādya bhajate janmapūrvavat

Translation

After enjoying the pleasures spoken of in the heavenly realms, when that merit is exhausted, they return again; reaching the human world, they take birth once more, just as before.

Word by Word

• भुक्त्वा: having enjoyed/consumed
• भुक्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: भुज्, अर्थे: कृत्वा (having done)

• भोगान्: enjoyments
• भोगान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन

• यथा-उक्तान्: as stated/aforementioned
• यथा-उक्तान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उक्त (कृदन्त, वच् धातु) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; भोगान् इति विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यतः), प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• तत्-पुण्य-क्षये: at the exhaustion of that merit
• तत्-पुण्य-क्षये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): तत्-पुण्यस्य क्षयः; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्तिबोधक अव्यय (adverb)

• मानुषम्: human
• मानुषम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; लोकम् इति विशेषण

• लोकम्: world
• लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• आसाद्य: having reached
• आसाद्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: सद् with उपसर्ग आ; अर्थ: प्राप्य (having reached)

• भजते: partakes/obtains
• भजते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• जन्म-पूर्ववत्: as before (as in a former birth)
• जन्म-पूर्ववत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जन्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्ववत् (तद्धित-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial): जन्मपूर्ववत् = पूर्ववत् जन्म (as before, like earlier birth)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that svarga and its pleasures are temporary results of punya; when merit ends, the jiva returns to human birth, so lasting freedom requires Shiva’s grace and liberation beyond karma.

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

It contrasts temporary karmic rewards with the enduring fruit of Shiva-upasana; devotion to Saguna Shiva (Linga worship) purifies bonds (pasha) and turns the seeker from pleasure-seeking to liberation-seeking.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prioritize daily Shiva sadhana—Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Linga worship and bhasma/rudraksha discipline—to seek moksha rather than transient heavenly enjoyments.