Shloka 26

ब्राह्मणीस्वर्गतिवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

कदापि कर्मणो नाशः कदा भोगः प्रजायते । तस्माच्च पुनरेवं त्वं कर्म मा कर्तुमुद्यता

Transliteration

kadāpi karmaṇo nāśaḥ kadā bhogaḥ prajāyate | tasmācca punarevaṃ tvaṃ karma mā kartumudyatā

Translation

Action (karma) never perishes; sooner or later its fruit is surely experienced as pleasure or pain. Therefore, do not again become eager to perform such binding karma.

Word by Word

• कदा: when?
• कदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक कालवाचक)

• अपि: ever; even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात)

• कर्मणः: of karma (action/deed)
• कर्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• नाशः: destruction; cessation
• नाशः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• कदा: when?
• कदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक)

• भोगः: enjoyment; experiencing (fruition)
• भोगः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• प्रजायते: arises; is produced
• प्रजायते: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+jan (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); used as causal ‘therefore’

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

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• एवम्: thus; in this way
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• कर्म: karma; action
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/prohibition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), prohibitive particle (निषेधार्थ निपात)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose-complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्/तुम्-प्रत्यय), indeclinable verbal (अव्ययकृदन्त)

• उद्यता: ready; intent (on doing)
• उद्यता: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud+yat (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle used adjectivally (क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with implied feminine addressee (e.g., ‘tvam’ addressed as feminine)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches the inevitability of karmic fruition (bhoga): deeds do not vanish, and their results must be experienced. From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, liberation requires turning away from binding, desire-driven actions and orienting life toward Shiva-centered dharma, devotion, and inner purification.

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

Linga-worship focuses the mind on Shiva (Pati) and loosens attachment to worldly outcomes (pāśa). By offering actions and their fruits to Shiva through ritual and devotion, one reduces egoic doership and the tendency to create new binding karma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice karma-offering with Shiva-bhakti: daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a vow of non-harm and restraint, and perform simple Linga-pūjā while mentally renouncing personal claim over results.