Shloka 9

Arjuna–Gaṇa Saṃvāda: Bāṇādhikāra, Tāpasa-veṣa, and the Ethics of Tapas (अर्जुन-गणसंवादः)

Devanagari script

तापस श्रूयतां रे त्वं न तपः क्रियते त्वया । वेषतश्च तपस्वी त्वं न यथार्थं छलायते

Transliteration

tāpasa śrūyatāṃ re tvaṃ na tapaḥ kriyate tvayā | veṣataśca tapasvī tvaṃ na yathārthaṃ chalāyate

Translation

O ascetic, listen! You are not truly performing tapas. You are an ascetic only in outward dress; in reality you are engaged in deception, not in genuine austerity.

Word by Word

• tāpasa: O ascetic
• tāpasa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• śrūyatām: let (it) be heard
• śrūyatām: Kriya (क्रिया/imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘let it be heard’

• re: hey!
• re: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: re (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kriyate: is done
• kriyate: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण/instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन

• veṣataḥ: from/owing to (mere) dress
• veṣataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative, 5th), एकवचन; हेतौ (in sense of cause/‘because of’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• tapasvī: an ascetic
• tapasvī: Karta (कर्ता/predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम/विशेष्य (predicate noun)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• yathārtham: truly/according to reality
• yathārtham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathārtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण (adverbial accusative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• chalāyate: deceives/acts deceitfully
• chalāyate: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chal (चल् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense possible in usage ‘to deceive/act falsely’

Speaker

A righteous narrator/authority figure within the chapter (contextual speaker admonishing a false ascetic; framed through Suta Goswami’s narration in the Shatarudrasaṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that spiritual life is measured by inner purity and sincere tapas, not by external marks; hypocrisy becomes a bondage (pāśa) that blocks Shiva-realization (Pati-jñāna) in a Shaiva Siddhanta sense.

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

Linga-worship and Saguna Shiva devotion require bhāva (true intent). The verse critiques mere costume-devotion and implies that ritual and symbols become fruitful only when offered with authentic surrender and disciplined conduct.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice honest tapas: daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), self-restraint, and truthful conduct; external aids like bhasma/tripuṇḍra or rudrākṣa should support inner devotion, not replace it.