Shloka 41

Devanagari script

एष वै वेदमार्गस्य निश्चयस्त्वन्मुखे स्थितः । कथं तु काममात्रेण स ते विस्मारितो विधे

Transliteration

eṣa vai vedamārgasya niścayastvanmukhe sthitaḥ | kathaṃ tu kāmamātreṇa sa te vismārito vidhe

Translation

This firm conclusion regarding the path of the Vedas abides upon your very lips. How then, O Ordainer (Brahmā), has it been forgotten by you merely on account of desire?

Word by Word

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta/particle (निपात) emphasizing/assertive

• veda-mārgasya: of the path of the Veda
• veda-mārgasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘veda-sya mārgaḥ’; Masculine (पुं), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• niścayaḥ: certainty; determination
• niścayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvat-mukhe: in your mouth/face (i.e., on your lips)
• tvat-mukhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘tava mukham’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• sthitaḥ: situated; established
• sthitaḥ: Karta-sāmānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-सामानाधिकरण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धाातु) → sthita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Masculine (पुं), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with ‘niścayaḥ’

• katham: how?
• katham: Prayojaka (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्न-अव्यय)

• tu: but; however
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta/concessive or contrastive particle (निपात)

• kāma-mātreṇa: by mere desire alone
• kāma-mātreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘kāmasya mātram’ (mere desire); Neuter (नपुंसक), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: that (certainty) / it
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुं), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• te: to you; for you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Dative (चतुर्थी/4) or Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन); here Dative ‘for you’ (context: addressed)

• vismāritaḥ: made forgotten; caused to be forgotten
• vismāritaḥ: Karta-sāmānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-सामानाधिकरण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vismṛ (धातु) → vismārita (कृदन्त, णिच्+क्त)
• Form: Causative PPP (णिच् + क्त), Masculine (पुं), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); ‘made to be forgotten’

• vidhe: O Creator (Brahmā)
• vidhe: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhātr̥/vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुं), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sati (addressing Brahma)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; Satī admonishes Brahmā, highlighting how kāma can eclipse even Vedic certainty—an illustration of pāśa (bondage) overpowering jñāna when grace is veiled.

Significance: Didactic: warns pilgrims/seekers that scriptural knowledge without self-mastery is vulnerable; encourages humility and reliance on Śiva’s anugraha to overcome kāma.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how even established scriptural certainty (veda-mārga-niścaya) can be eclipsed by kāma (self-centered desire). In a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, this shows how impurities and binding tendencies can veil right knowledge, urging steadiness in dharma and devotion aligned to Shiva.

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

By warning that desire can distort discernment, it indirectly supports disciplined, dharma-rooted worship—approaching Saguna Shiva (as the worshipful Lord) with purity of intention rather than egoic craving. Such restraint stabilizes bhakti and makes external worship (including Linga-puja) inwardly transformative.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is kāma-nigraha (restraint of desire) through regular japa—especially the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—supported by sattvic conduct and mindful self-observation so that scriptural wisdom is not forgotten under impulse.