Shloka 31

मुक्तयतिदेहसंस्काररहस्यं — The Esoteric Rites for the Bodies of Liberated Ascetics

Devanagari script

आयुः क्षये पद्मयोनेः पुनरावृत्तिवर्जिताम् । मुक्तिं च परमां तस्मै प्रयच्छति जगद्गुरुः

Transliteration

āyuḥ kṣaye padmayoneḥ punarāvṛttivarjitām | muktiṃ ca paramāṃ tasmai prayacchati jagadguruḥ

Translation

When the lifespan of Brahmā, the lotus-born, comes to its end, the Jagadguru—Lord Śiva—bestows upon him the supreme liberation, free from return (rebirth).

Word by Word

• आयुः: life-span
• आयुः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्षये: at the end/decline
• क्षये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पद्मयोनेः: of Padmayoni (Brahmā)
• पद्मयोनेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (Determinative; ‘पद्मस्य योनिḥ’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुनरावृत्तिवर्जिताम्: free from return (rebirth)
• पुनरावृत्तिवर्जिताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुनरावृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (Determinative; ‘पुनरावृत्त्या वर्जिता’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रयच्छति: bestows
• प्रयच्छति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present Indicative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• जगद्गुरुः: the teacher of the world
• जगद्गुरुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (Determinative; ‘जगतः गुरुḥ’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: End of Brahmā’s lifespan (kalpa/mahā-kalpa boundary implication)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It declares Śiva as Jagadguru and the ultimate bestower of mokṣa: even Brahmā, though cosmic creator, attains final liberation only by Śiva’s grace—mukti that ends punarāvṛtti (the cycle of return).

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

By presenting Śiva as the supreme liberator beyond all cosmic offices, it supports Saguna worship (Liṅga/Śiva) as a direct means to receive grace that cuts bondage (pāśa) and leads the soul (paśu) to the Lord (Pati).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Jagadguru and recite the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with devotion, contemplating liberation as freedom from punarāvṛtti and surrendering the fruits of practice to Śiva’s grace.