Shloka 35

कामशापानुग्रहः (Kāmaśāpānugraha) — “The Curse and Grace Concerning Kāma”

Devanagari script

रक्षरक्ष महादेव पापान्मां दुस्तरादितः । मत्पितायं तथा चेमे भ्रातरः पापबुद्धयः

Transliteration

rakṣarakṣa mahādeva pāpānmāṃ dustarāditaḥ | matpitāyaṃ tathā ceme bhrātaraḥ pāpabuddhayaḥ

Translation

“Protect me, protect me, O Mahādeva, from these sins—so hard to cross. My father here, and these brothers of mine as well, are of sinful intent.”

Word by Word

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• रक्ष: protect (indeed)
• रक्ष: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; पुनरुक्ति (emphasis)

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; ‘महान् देवः’

• पापात्: from sin
• पापात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• दुस्तरात्: from the hard-to-overcome (danger)
• दुस्तरात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-प्राय, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; ‘hard to cross/overcome’—भय/दुःखादेः विशेषणवत्

• इतः: from this (source)
• इतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशावाचक/अपादानार्थक अव्यय: ‘from here/therefrom’ (emphatic)

• मत्-पिता: my father
• मत्-पिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (my father)

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb): ‘thus/also’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• इमे: these
• इमे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भ्रातरः: brothers
• भ्रातरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पाप-बुद्धयः: sinful-minded
• पाप-बुद्धयः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘पापा बुद्धिः येषाम्’ (having sinful minds)

Speaker

Sati (addressing Lord Shiva/Mahadeva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; this is Satī’s appeal to Śiva amid Dakṣa’s household conflict and adharma.

Significance: Frames Śiva as the refuge (śaraṇya) for the bound soul seeking release from pāśa (sin/adharma) through grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: रक्षरक्ष महादेव पापान्मां दुस्तरादितः । मत्पितायं तथा चेमे भ्रातरः पापबुद्धयः

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati
• Daksha

FAQs

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

It presents śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in Pati—Lord Shiva—as the sure protection when pāpa and pāśa (sin and binding tendencies) seem “difficult to cross,” emphasizing that liberation begins by turning the heart toward Mahādeva.

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

The cry “Protect me, Mahādeva” is characteristic of Saguna-upāsanā: approaching Shiva as the compassionate, personal Lord who responds to devotion—often centered in Purāṇic practice through Linga worship as the accessible form of the transcendent Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate protective remembrance (smaraṇa) of Shiva—reciting the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a prayer for inner purification—supported by simple Shaiva marks like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and a devotional attitude of surrender.