Shloka 19

मुक्तयतिदेहसंस्काररहस्यं — The Esoteric Rites for the Bodies of Liberated Ascetics

Devanagari script

ताः पुनः पंचधा मार्गं विभज्यारभ्य भूतलम् । अग्न्यादिक्रमतां गृह्यं सदाशिवपदं यतिः

Transliteration

tāḥ punaḥ paṃcadhā mārgaṃ vibhajyārabhya bhūtalam | agnyādikramatāṃ gṛhyaṃ sadāśivapadaṃ yatiḥ

Translation

Then, dividing those paths again into five, beginning from the earthly plane, the ascetic proceeds by adopting the successive stages starting with the principle of “fire”, and thus attains the state and abode of Sadāśiva.

Word by Word

• tāḥ: them/those (f.)
• tāḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• punaḥ: again/further
• punaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; punar-artha adverb (again/further)

• paṃcadhā: in five ways
• paṃcadhā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paṃcan (प्रातिपदिक) + dhā (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; prakāra-vācaka (in five ways)

• mārgam: path
• mārgam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana (Singular)

• vibhajya: having divided
• vibhajya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√bhaj (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (absolutive/gerund), avyaya-kriyāviśeṣaṇa; meaning 'having divided'

• ārabhya: having begun; starting from
• ārabhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√rabh (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (absolutive/gerund), avyaya; 'having begun/starting from'

• bhūtalam: the earth/ground
• bhūtalam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūtala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana (Singular)

• agni-ādi-kramatām: of the order beginning with fire
• agni-ādi-kramatām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + kramatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/6th), Bahuvacana (Plural); tatpuruṣa (of the sequence beginning with fire)

• gṛhyam: to be taken/accepted
• gṛhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gṛhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom./Acc.), Ekavacana; yogyatā-vācaka (to be taken/acceptable)

• sadāśiva-padam: the state/abode of Sadāśiva
• sadāśiva-padam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sadāśiva (प्रातिपदिक) + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (the state/abode of Sadāśiva)

• yatiḥ: the ascetic
• yatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s higher teaching tradition within the Kailāsa-saṃhitā to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Sadashiva

FAQs

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

It presents liberation as a disciplined, graded ascent: the seeker systematically transcends lower planes and principles, culminating in Sadāśiva-pada—union with the Lord’s highest auspicious state.

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

In Shaiva Siddhanta, Saguna worship (such as Linga-upāsanā) purifies and stabilizes the mind; that purity supports the inner, step-by-step transcendence of elemental and tattvic limitations described here, leading toward Sadāśiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A sequential yogic contemplation: beginning from embodied life on earth, the aspirant meditates on and transcends gross-to-subtle principles (starting with ‘fire’ and onward), supported by steady japa of Shiva-mantra and Shaiva disciplines.