Shloka 41

Jaṭilāvatāra-Parīkṣā: Pārvatyāḥ Tapasāṃ Parīkṣaṇam

The Jaṭilā Episode and the Testing of Pārvatī’s Austerity

Devanagari script

शिवनिन्दां करोतीह तत्त्वमज्ञाय यः पुमान् । आजन्मसंचितं पुण्यं तस्य भस्मीभवत्युत

Transliteration

śivanindāṃ karotīha tattvamajñāya yaḥ pumān | ājanmasaṃcitaṃ puṇyaṃ tasya bhasmībhavatyuta

Translation

Whoever, not understanding the true principle (tattva) of Śiva, reviles Him in this world—indeed, all the merit accumulated since birth is reduced to ashes.

Word by Word

• śiva-nindām: blame/denigration of Śiva
• śiva-nindām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (शिव-प्रातिपदिक) + nindā (निन्दा-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुष), Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• karoti: does
• karoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ-धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्, present), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• iha: here (in this world)
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-kāla-avyaya (देश/काल-अव्यय, adverb)

• tattvam: the truth/reality
• tattvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (तत्त्व-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• ajñāya: not knowing
• ajñāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (ज्ञा-धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), form: a-jñāya (अ- + ज्ञाय), ‘not having known’; avyaya-kriyāviśeṣaṇa

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• pumān: a man/person
• pumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān (पुमान्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• ā-janma-saṃcitam: accumulated up to (one’s) birth / from birth onward
• ā-janma-saṃcitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā + janman (जन्मन्-प्रातिपदिक) + saṃcita (संचित-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva-samāsa (अव्ययीभाव; ā- ‘up to/throughout’ + janma), Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of puṇyam

• puṇyam: merit, virtue
• puṇyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (पुण्य-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā/Dvitīyā (1st/2nd), Ekavacana (एकवचन); here as subject of bhasmībhavati

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी, genitive), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• bhasmī-bhavati: turns to ashes
• bhasmī-bhavati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhasmī (भस्मी-प्रातिपदिक) + bhū (भू-धातु)
• Form: Denominative/compound-verb sense ‘to become ashes’; Laṭ-lakāra (लट्), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• uta: indeed / also
• uta: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uta (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya/avadhāraṇa-nipāta (समुच्चय/अवधारण-निपात, particle: ‘also/indeed’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that Shiva-nindā (reviling Śiva) is a grave aparādha: when one fails to recognize Śiva-tattva (the Lord as Pati, the supreme reality and grace-giver), one’s accumulated punya loses its sustaining power and is spiritually “burned up,” obstructing progress toward liberation.

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

Linga worship trains the devotee to see Śiva as the all-pervading principle made accessible through a sacred form; reviling Śiva denies this reality. The verse therefore supports disciplined reverence toward Saguna worship (Linga, icons, names) as a doorway to realizing Śiva-tattva beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Avoid Shiva-aparādha and cultivate reverence through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), respectful Linga-pūjā, and (where taught in the Purana) wearing Tripuṇḍra-bhasma and Rudrākṣa as reminders of humility and devotion.