Shloka 25

ब्राह्मणीस्वर्गतिवर्णनम्

Brāhmaṇī-Svargati-Varṇana: Account of a Brāhmaṇa Woman’s Ascent to Heaven

Devanagari script

समाभ्यां पुण्यपापाभ्यां भवेज्जन्म च भारते । तयोः क्षये च भोगेन मातर्मुक्तिरवाप्यते

Transliteration

samābhyāṃ puṇyapāpābhyāṃ bhavejjanma ca bhārate | tayoḥ kṣaye ca bhogena mātarmuktiravāpyate

Translation

O Bhārata, embodiment arises from an equal mixture of merit and demerit. And when both are exhausted through the experiencing of their fruits, O Mother, liberation (mukti) is attained.

Word by Word

• समाभ्याम्: equally; by both alike
• समाभ्याम्: Karana (करण/adverbial instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन); adverbial ‘equally/by both equally’

• पुण्य-पापाभ्याम्: by merit and sin
• पुण्य-पापाभ्याम्: Karana (करण/means; causal factors)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): Dvandva (द्वन्द्व) ‘puṇyam ca pāpam ca’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• भवेत्: would arise; comes to be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• भारते: O Bhārata (descendant of Bharata)
• भारते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• तयोः: of those two (merit and sin)
• तयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• क्षये: upon destruction; at the exhaustion
• क्षये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/condition-locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• भोगेन: by experiencing (fruition)
• भोगेन: Karana (करण/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• मातर्: O mother
• मातर्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• अवाप्यते: is attained
• अवाप्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava+āp (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages, in the Kotirudra context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that embodied life is driven by karma (both punya and papa), and that freedom arises when karmic residues are fully spent—ultimately pointing to Shiva as the liberating Pati who grants moksha when bondage (pasha) is ended.

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

In the Kotirudra (Jyotirlinga) setting, Linga-worship is presented as a Shaiva means to purify and neutralize karmic accumulation; devotion to Saguna Shiva supports inner cleansing so that karmic experience reaches completion and the seeker becomes fit for Shiva’s grace leading to liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady Linga-puja with Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and disciplined vrata (especially Mahāśivarātri), offered with repentance and devotion to reduce fresh karmic creation and hasten the exhaustion of past karmas.